Turn It Up
by Code Green
Summary: Ryan "The Terror" McCarthy never had his fighting authority challenged, but Miami holds for him lessons that he has never had to learn. It will take those with less fortune than what he has to show him the true value of kindness and how valuable he is.
1. Chapter 1

**It took me a little while to decide if I wanted to put this story up on here, but I thought I'd give it a shot... It was kind of hard to come up with a summary for it, so you'll just have to read and let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

**Chapter One: Welcome to Miami**

Miami, Florida. Beaches, streetlights, nightclubs, home of the Dolphins, city of tourists, place of parties and nightlife. Oh and, consequently, college. Miami wasn't as much of a tourist trap as Orlando, and it didn't harbor nearly as many painful memories. For Ryan McCarthy, it meant an escape from an oppressive father and a liberty from the pride and aggression that ignited from his desire to simply be accepted for who he was and what he _really _had to offer. No more cliques, no more fights, no more low grades, and no more booze. Florida International University held for him the promise of a clean slate, a new beginning. It gave one a feeling of hope and accomplishment, or at least Ryan thought so. His old man had thought all of his grades had been compromised or bought, but Ryan had earned this scholarship from his own hard work, a fact that he was most proud of.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he gazed out the Escalade window to see the beach rushing past. Dad had wanted to buy him a Ferrari for his graduation, but this baby had everything he wanted and he wouldn't replace her. She would look good, parked out at his new apartment, and now he would be able to see just how good.

The black car was parked outside of the upbeat apartment complex, and Ryan made his way to the third floor of the place by way of an outdoor staircase. He unlocked his door and stepped inside to view his new domain. Two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a dining room, a loft, and a balcony that opened up to the Atlantic waves, all decorated with the best and all his. Something could be said for Dad McCarthy's wealth. He fully expected his investment to be trashed within three days, and Ryan wouldn't mind living up to the man's expectations.

Everything was already unpacked, giving Ryan an hour to do absolutely nothing before he had to get to his first class. It was amusing to him, that he was going to shoot for a Bachelor's degree in Recreation and Sport Management, something that required responsibility. Senior McCarthy's hopes must have been that his son would stop with the late night parties, the drinking, and especially the fights, but since when did Ryan care what his old man wanted? Ryan McCarthy was a people person, and no amount of schooling would stop that. Actually, now that he had been thinking about it, there had been two gorgeous brunettes standing near the parking lot and there was nothing wrong with being friendly...

Three minutes before Algebra. Sleepy eyes, chattering girls, the smell of paper and erasers, caffeinated drinks, and squeaking sneakers. It wasn't much of a classroom, but Kayla Fisher was grateful just to be here. Math was not one of her stronger points, but it was a requirement for her English major, and somehow she had managed to make it this far. Prof. Elder wasn't one of the best teachers in the world, but Kayla appreciated every bit of knowledge he shared with his class. Any minute now and he would show up, and that would be one less class for the day.

The door opened, and Kayla watched as a man walked into the room, a brunette on one arm and two other college guys at his left side. He wore sunglasses, but somehow he looked familiar. Memories drifted to Kayla of a fight some five months ago. She had gone with a friend, Kyle Macy, to watch him fight, and he had been taken down by an arrogant rooster of a man...Ah yes. Ryan McCarthy. How could she forget? A cannibal in the fighting ring, disqualified more than once for eye gouging and one exceptionally cruel crotch shot. He was brutal in a fight, dangerously angry, and he always had his own little group of followers.

Kayla looked over this group, noticing Miss Brunette with the revealing spaghetti strap top and the short shorts. It made Kayla consider her own appearance. She wore a red polo short with "Ronny's Gym" written on it in gold lettering, and she wore normal jeans, nothing unique. There was nothing exceptionally pretty about her dirty-blonde hair and her hazel eyes. Did men prefer women like that brunette? Was that what was attractive?

She chided herself for even thinking such things as Prof. Elder arrived. She was very aware of Ryan sitting behind her, however, and did her best to focus on her teacher. It never helped when you knew nearly everything there was to know about a fighter and his tactics. She knew the man's height, weight, social status, and fighting maneuvers like the back of her hand. It wouldn't take Ryan any trouble at all to snap her neck, should he so wish to, and she was more than aware about it as he shifted into a comfortable sitting position behind her, his new girl about as close to him as she could get.

He had won twelve noteworthy matches, and he was a merciless attacker. His favorite method was to get his rival on the ground and to hold him down there as he bashed the blood out of his victim's face until the man surrendered, whimpering terribly. He had a smirk that some considered to be from the devil himself, but Kayla could see the pain behind the smile, the agony behind the victory...and she was entirely distracted from the math lesson. What McCarthy did was none of her business, and Kayla bit her lip and leaned forward, determined to get through this class without thinking about the fighter anymore. There were far more important things for her to be interested in than another fighter.

Ryan had once more class after Algebra, and that left him free for the rest of the day. He got back to his apartment in record timing and then meandered out to the beach where his new companions, Richard and Shade, had arranged to meet him. He found, when he stepped onto the sand, that there were other men loafing about with his new found acquaintances, and that didn't trouble him at all.

"Rich, Shade," Ryan greeted, clasping each hands man in turn as a greeting and then turning to the others with a nod. "What say we hit some waves?"

"Sure thing. You have to meet these guys first, though," Shade nodded. "Ryan, this is Eric and his buddies, Matt and Tyler. They were interested in meeting you."

"Welcome to Miami, brother," Tyler said, offering his hand, and Ryan shook it.

He knew what being sized up felt like. He had felt it countless times in high school, and he didn't have to think twice to know that Eric, the obvious leader of this small group, was evaluating him. For just as Eric was sizing him up, Ryan was doing the same. The man was six feet high, somewhere in the neighborhood of two hundred pounds with muscles to spare, and while he had a sparkle in his brown eyes, it wasn't a friendly one. It was competitive and challenging, and it sent the fuel flowing in Ryan's veins.

_"No fighting on the first day," _he thought to himself, and he turned his head slightly, almost cockily, and smiled his best "don't mess with me" smile.

"You going to school, Eric?" Ryan asked casually, proud that he managed to back out of a potential fight.

"I finished early," Eric said coolly. "Degree in Business Management."

"He works at a nightclub these days," Shade grinned.

"Which, coincidentally, happens to have a fighting ring in the middle," Eric grinned.

"His old man owns one of the newer casinos, _The Vegas_, as well as the hotel attached," Matt explained with a chuckle. "Eric is manager over the dancing and the fights. Some of the biggest fights in the state are held there."

Ah ha. That was why they had wanted to meet him. Seems the boys had done their homework, Ryan thought, smiling to himself. As tempting as the thought of fighting was, however, he wanted to get a bit more accustomed to his school and his new living arrangements before he stepped back into the ring. That, and he didn't need to prove himself to be the best here. He had left as the king of Orlando, well, more or less. Jake had beaten him in the last fight, but everyone there still knew who the best was. Chances were, Eric and his cronies didn't even have the skills to step into the ring with him, so why be unfair and fight them when they wouldn't have been able to hold up?

"We're headed to the club tonight," Rich said with a roll of his shoulders as he adjusted the surfboard beneath his left arm. "You want to come along, Ryan?"

"Nah. I need to start delving into the text books," Ryan grinned. "But thanks for the offer, man."

"Drinks are on the house tonight," Eric added. "And there are plenty of gorgeous girls to go around, some of who go to your college."

The thought of a free beer didn't really appeal too much to Ryan, because he could get it pretty much whenever he wanted it, but meeting some girls who might possibly go to his classes was another matter entirely. If he could get a beautiful girl or two to flounce around as his girlfriend, he'd get the attention of everyone in the college, and he valued popularity far more than he valued having a girlfriend. They all just liked to hang on his arm because he was attractive, but they were fast to stab him in the back and walk away, somewhat like something a woman very dear to him had once done to another man that Ryan bore a resemblance to...

"Oh alright," he agreed nonchalantly. "I'll meet you there later tonight. Now let's hit these waves sometime before tomorrow morning comes."

No one had any issues with that, and the men took to the water. The waves weren't very accommodating for those who had hoped to surf, and the surf boards were ditched nearby on the shore before fifteen minutes had passed. Ryan hadn't expected to do much in the water, and his expectations were met, for all he managed to do in the hour that he was in the ocean was whistle to bikini-clad girls with the other guys and float on his back, occasionally diving beneath the small waves and cruising around on the sand-covered bottom.

The sun was just beginning to sink on the horizon when the men clambered out of the water and retrieved their towels, drying off in the dimming sunlight. Ryan's mind was already on showering and dinner, but Shade got his attention.

"Hey Eric, look who's made her reappearance on the beach," Ryan's acquaintance spoke, nudging Eric with his elbow, and Eric and the others looked towards the shoreline. Ryan turned with them, naturally curious as to whom the men were referring to, and he watched, not even remotely interested, as a girl ran across the beach, her feet pounding into the hardened sand that stretched out from the very tip of the water.

There was nothing spectacular about her appearance that should have called for the men's attention. That was the first thing Ryan noticed. The young woman was dressed in a loose T-shirt and shorts that didn't afford the men much of a tantalizing view. She wore worn sneakers, and her dirty-blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail that was quickly coming undone, allowing loose strands of hair to fall into her face. She wasn't looking at the men at all, but was focused on running straight ahead, racing in a perfect line with the sand, her eyes on some invisible goal. That scene, in and of itself, wasn't at all distracting or appealing, but something about the way Eric reacted had Ryan taking another look.

A look akin to that of a predator focusing on his prey appeared in Eric's eyes, and Ryan frowned, taking another look at the girl. Whatever Eric was thinking, it wasn't something he should have been, and while Ryan had no opposition whatsoever to letting his imagination free when he looked at a woman, he never looked at them like he was going to eat them.

"What's so special about her?" he finally asked as she got far enough away that she was now difficult to see. "She looks like a kid."

"She's an old flame of mine," Eric said, a noticeable bite in his voice. "Ever since high school."

"Why? There's nothing great about her," Ryan snorted, flinging his towel over his shoulder.

"Seems our little rich boy wants to get in on all the secrets," Eric smirked, turning his dark eyes to Ryan. "I don't believe anything concerning her is any of your business, is it?"

"Dude, he was just asking a simple question," Rich bristled, siding with Ryan.

"Looks like I hit a nerve," Ryan answered for himself, meeting Eric's unkind look with one of his own. To his mild annoyance, Eric simply tossed his head back and laughed, as though their little riff had just been a trifle, something two kindergarten boys might have done. He then shook his head and walked away with his little posse, leaving Ryan, Rich, and Shade to gather their belongings and head back to their respective apartments.

There was something about Eric. Ryan knew this quite well as he got out his shower a few minutes later and dried off before wrapping the towel around his waist and padding into his room. The guy was obnoxious, obviously a jerk, and had the look of a predator when it came to women. Not just a simple interest, but a glare that spoke of a filthy mind. It seemed that _someone _needed to be shown his proper place in this world, needed to be lowered a few pegs, and Ryan McCarthy was up for the job. He knew how to humiliate and how to bite without ever having to fight. It just came naturally, another characteristic he had picked up from dear-old-dad.

He never thought twice about it why it was that he liked to hurt people. If he had stopped to think about it, he might have been disturbed to find that his reason for fighting was to get back at his father, even though with every passing fight, he was becoming more and more like the elder McCarthy.

Of course, he never would have even considered that. It didn't pass through his mind for a second as he dressed and then chugged down a can of Coke and ate a sandwich before heading out to his car.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Looking In from the Outside

_The Vegas _was appropriately named. It was one of the showier hotels/casinos in a long strip that faced the beach, with neon lights and a huge alcove that many an expensive car stopped beneath. There were chauffeurs to take the cars, and Ryan tossed his keys easily enough to one of the young men before he made his way into the casino area of the hotel. The casino was comprised of seven immense rooms, all of them decorated as though the viewer had stepped straight into Las Vegas on a Friday night. Bright lights were everywhere and it was loud, but Ryan found his way through the casino easily enough, having asked an usher at the door where the nightclub was located.

He smiled with amusement as he flashed his license at the bouncer in the doorway and then stepped from one loud world into another. The casino had been loud with the poker chips and gambling games, but the club was filled with a pounding beat. The casino had been brightly lit by all of the tables and slots, by the Las Vegas decor, but this place had neon lights of all colors flashing throughout it, along with strobe lights and occasionally the glitter of a disco ball.

And there in the center of the huge room, surrounded by dancing couples, was the fighting ring. No one was fighting, as of yet, for the pulsing music had seemed to draw everyone into the dance, but Ryan knew that as the hours became later, the fighting would begin. For now, let everyone focus on getting a good high from the dancing and the beer. Later, that energy would come in handy for the fights.

"Ryan! You managed to come!" Shade called, pushing his way towards Ryan with a voluptuous blonde clinging to one arm and a beer in the hand of the other. "Is this awesome or what?"

"Eric..."

"Is dancing with a gorgeous red head. You should dance too, before it gets to the business of fighting," Shade grinned, taking a swig of his beer. "Try Roxanne. She's quite the dancer. And here she comes. _Roxanne_!" He sang, doing his best attempt at the Police's version of "Roxanne."

Ryan grinned as Roxanne, a woman with nearly black hair, swayed over to him. It was strange, but women these days were all starting to look the same to him. Shorts that showed off more of their legs than most men could handle, shirts that they had somehow managed to squeeze themselves into, and nothing short of flirtatiousness in their eyes. He could have taken any of these women home if he had wanted to, but he didn't know this place well yet and wasn't ready to make a move. It didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun for one night, however.

"Roxanne," he mused, letting the word roll on his tongue as he turned to her with a debonair attitude. "It seems you are without a dance partner."

"I could say the same for you," she said, her voice low and sultry.

"Ryan," Ryan introduced himself as she put her arms around his neck and hummed with satisfaction, if not a touch of drunkenness, as they moved onto the floor with the rest of the dancers.

"Where are you from?" Roxanne asked as the music transitioned into a strong rock beat and she slid her body against his like she was some sort of cat.

"Orlando," Ryan chuckled, moving right along with her. She seemed a bit surprised for a moment, that he returned her seductive motions with his own, but then she decided she liked it and smiled sweetly as they increased their tempo, unashamedly moving their hips together. The girl's eyes drifted shut, obviously enjoying the pressure of their bodies together, and Ryan let himself drown in the rock beat as well, his body heating up from the friction. Nothing quite like a little dirty dancing to start off the week...

The music stopped, quite suddenly, but Roxanne didn't seem to notice, for she kept brushing her hips against his as though it was the most natural thing in the world. He pulled away from her, however, and turned to face the fighting arena, where it seemed everyone else was looking. He watched, ignoring Roxanne's arm looping around his waist, as Eric slipped through the ropes of the arena and then went to stand in the center of the ring.

"Hello people! Everyone having a great time?" the man called out, and everyone cheered in response. "You ready for it to get even better? Everyone entering tonight's fighting ring, go to the desk at the far right corner of the room and sign yourselves up! Matches start in ten minutes! The grand prize of the night is $2,000.00!"

Eric's chocolate eyes scanned the crowd, and he nodded to Ryan when he spotted him. He then slipped through the ropes and jumped down from the ring, making his way towards Ryan.

"Ryan! Welcome to the club!" Eric said with a wave of his hands, a charming smile on his face. "What do you think? Pretty impressive, isn't it?"

"Decent," Ryan shrugged. "You going into the fighting?"

"I signed up. How about you? In the mood for a little fun?" Eric chuckled.

"No. I don't know the place well enough to fight. I wouldn't want to end up hurting any of these guys anyway," Ryan grinned, unable to resist a little bit of bragging.

"Suit yourself," Eric shrugged. "You enjoying your company, Roxy?" he winked at Ryan's companion. "He scaring you off with his greatness?"

"He doesn't have too much to offer," Roxanne smiled her sugary smile at Ryan before sidling over to Eric and standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "I don't think he can fight quite as well as all the videos make it seem he can."

"Ah. The videos," Ryan grinned, tossing his head lightly and then moving towards the fighting ring. "That's why you were interested. Sorry, Sweetheart, but no show tonight. That same information goes to you too, Darling," he winked at Eric before turning away with a smirk. "I've suckered too many people into fighting me. I know perfectly well what you're trying to do. Tonight I shall simply enjoy watching. Maybe some other time for the fighting."

He found a place next to the ring, never paying any attention to Shade, who had stumbled over with his newfound date for the evening. Ryan was actually quite curious about the fighting, but he had not desire to make a spectacle of himself tonight in a ring that he didn't know, fighting people that he had never before seen fight. He watched as the list of fighters appeared on an overhead screen, and then the first two contestants entered the arena.

None of the fights were particularly outstanding, and none of the contestants truly caught Ryan's attention, save for one. Red McKenzie caught his attention the minute the young man's name was called. Ryan found himself turning to see Red making his way towards him to get to the ring, and there was just something different about the guy. He was Ryan's height, with flaming red hair from which he had obtained his name, and at his side was another man, an inch or so taller than Ryan with powerful muscles chiseled into his dark skin. A man of that strength and height most assuredly should have been the one fighting, but instead he seemed to be pleading quietly with Red, as though not wanting the shorter man to go into the fight. There was determination in Red's face just as there was concern and genuine kindness in the other man's, but there was also something else about Red that Ryan found unusual. The man didn't have any anger, and he was entering the fight with a good spirit, as though this was just for fun. He spoke quietly to his companion before getting into the ring, and he discarded his shirt, as the rest of the contestants had. He smiled at his audience without the usual Parade of Pride, as it was lovingly dubbed at home, and he even managed to give his friend a thumbs-up before the other fighter entered the ring. No ill feelings, no bitterness, and no rage. How was the man going to survive?

Red didn't have any outstanding muscles, but once he and his opponent started fighting, Ryan was surprised that Red went through the fight relatively unscathed. There was no doubt that he wasn't as strong as Ryan was, but he was fast! He seemed to weave in and out of every punch and kick, slipping right through a headlock and then turning to punch up hard into his opponent's neck. He then grabbed the man around the shoulders and shoved him down onto the matted floor, taking the fight on the ground.

It didn't take long before the other man tapped out, and Red was off immediately, something else that astounded Ryan. As a fighter, Ryan was accustomed to pummeling his opponent until the man was nearly whimpering with pain or at least moaning with agony. Once Ryan's enemies were on the ground, there was no way they were going to get back up, and Ryan had a tendency to let his anger flow from him into his opponent, nearly causing him to kill several of them, Max and Jake included. It took more than one person to pull Ryan away from a fight, but Red stepped back calmly and even offered the surrendering man a hand up, which the man accepted. Wherever that auburn-haired kid had learned how to fight, he had also learned manners that were rare in the fighting ring.

Ryan found himself watching Red carefully over the next few fights, wondering where on earth the man had figured out to do what he did. Red fought with no anger, no bitterness, and a whole lot of gentleness, if such a word could be involved in such fights. He made his way through one round and then another, never losing his politeness even as his face became bloodied and bruises began to line his skin.

By the time he made it to the last round, he had an unofficial cheerleader who never, in his right mind, would have let anyone know that there was actually another fighter he was rooting for. Ryan was hooked, however, and watched with interest as the only person standing between Red and the $2,000.00 stepped into the ring.

Eric. He should have known. Someone had to protect his father's money. And unlike Red, Eric made no little show out of taking his shirt off. Ryan snorted as the man slowly peeled his tight shirt over his head, making certain the girls got a good show, and then twirled it before throwing it at one of the bouncers. The guy made a regular spectacle out of himself roaring and displaying his body for all to see before he did a little jog in place and then tilted his head from one side to the other, stretching his neck and shoulder muscles before he stilled and the referee called the fight.

This match was different than any other one that Ryan had ever seen. In this fight, he became angry simply by watching. Eric was a monster. There was nothing even remotely kind about how he fought. He looked at Red as though he wanted to kill him, like he wanted to pull the kid apart limb by limb and leave him a bloodied mass on the floor. And Ryan had the sickening feeling that Eric was going to kill him.

Red put up a good fight. He lasted several minutes before a good kick to his calf sent him tripping, rolling over onto his back to protect his face from one of Eric's blows. He wasn't able to shield himself for long, however, and as soon as his blockade was down, Eric went to work on the man's face, punching him for all he was worth, the padded ground getting speckled with Red's blood.

"Tap out!" Ryan shouted, making a lunge for the ring. "Tap out, Red! Ref! The kid's unconscious! Stop the fight!"

No one made a move to stop Eric. Everyone was cheering him on, watching as he beat the consciousness out of Red. Red's eyelids flickered every now and then, the only reason that the referee wasn't intruding. Ryan grabbed the ropes of the ring, intending to jump into the fight and pull Eric back before he killed Red, but a hand found the enraged ex-fighter's shoulder and pulled him back gently. Red's friend was there, shaking his head at Ryan.

"Let him at least keep his pride," the man spoke, and Ryan spit out a spew of curses, his eyes burning into the man.

"What pride? That kid doesn't know the first thing about pride! He's unconscious!"

"Every man has some pride," Red's comrade argued softly. "He is still conscious. Just give him a moment..."

He hadn't finished speaking when Red's hand weakly tapped on the back of Eric's shoulder. Eric didn't seem to feel it, so intent was he on fighting, that the referee and two of the bouncers had to grab him by the arms and drag him back, away from Red's limp form. Red then made a move to sit up, and his friend slipped into the ring, moving quickly to his side.

The kid looked as though he had been in a car accident or some horror flick. Ryan had seen that face before, so bloodied and cut up. But where? Where would he have seen such a face? And then it hit him like a punch in the gut. Max. Max's face had been just as badly beaten, but unlike Red, he hadn't walked away from the fight. Unlike Red, he hadn't known what he was getting into when he entered hostile territory. And unlike Red, he hadn't had a friend to carry him away from danger and take care of him. No, he had simply been dumped on the street outside of Jake's house while Ryan had been at home casually drinking down another beer...

"Oh God," Ryan moaned, turning away from the scene. "I just watched myself."

He made his way blindly out of the club, his hand to his forehead as he hurried out of the casino and ordered the chauffeur to bring back his car. What he had just witnessed was brutal, but not nearly as brutal as something that had happened not even three years ago. For the first time in his life, he was sickened by a fight.

He curled over slightly, trying to hold back the vomit that was threatening to come out of his mouth, and sweat trickled from his forehead as he waited for his car.

"Hey. You okay?" a somewhat choked voice asked, and he turned his head to see Red and his friend standing close by, also waiting for their car. "I'm okay, man, if that's what you're so upset about," Red attempted to smile, but his teeth were nearly hidden by scarlet, and his lower lip was fast becoming black from the blood that was seeping from it.

"No talking," he friend spoke. "We need to make certain all of your teeth are going to stay in."

"You don't have to tell me that you told me so, Arthur," Red sighed, leaning even more heavily against his comrade. "I just had to try. You know that."

"And you almost made it," Arthur chuckled. "But then, as always, Eric interrupted your winning streak. This is the third time in three weeks."

"I think McCarthy over there needs more help than I do," Red grinned at Ryan. "Why so sick, Champ? You've been in worse fights than that before. I've watched you."

Ryan didn't have a good answer for that, but he didn't have to answer, because his car was brought in front of him and the chauffeur bid him a good night.

"Hey, McCarthy!" Red called as Ryan made his way to the driver's side of his car. "If you're looking for a gym around here, try 'Ronny's.' Me and a bunch of the guys meet up there every night for some practice fights and basketball!"

"Thanks," Ryan smiled weakly and then got into his car and shut the door behind him.

When he got back to his apartment, he waited in his car for several minutes, trying to shake away the images in his head. He stared straight ahead in his parked car, trying to blot memories of the last couple of years. Red's fight shouldn't have bothered him. Fights never did bother him. So why now, all of a sudden, was he sickened when he saw a man being beaten? It was just a fighting competition. Reasoning dawned upon him in a matter of seconds, and his hand moved to the phone hidden in his pocket. He drew it out and then went to YouTube.

He watched himself, in fight after fight, roaring with pride, strutting around the ring or stepping over a fallen opponent. He watched himself beat the stuffing out of countless guys, get pulled off of several pleading bodies, and pull off moves that were clearly disqualified.

The reason Red's fight had sickened him so much was because now, Ryan had a notable rival, and that rival was almost a mirror image of what Ryan had been. It had been a lifestyle that Ryan had never wanted to change, until he saw Eric gloating over Red. Did all fighters look like such jerks?

He sighed, suddenly tired, as he got out of the car and made his way up to his apartment.

This was going to be a long school year.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: The Fighter and the Girl**

It was midnight, and Kayla was just moving to close and lock up "Ronny's Gym" for the night when she spotted two familiar figures making their way towards the doors. One of them was limping and leaning against the other man, and with a gasp, Kayla opened the doors and rushed out onto the sidewalk.

"Art! Red!" she gasped, hurrying to Red's side. "What happened?"

"I'm alive and quite well, Kayla. Just had a few stitches and a couple of bruises..." Red started, and she gasped again, holding the door open as Arthur helped Red into the gym.

"A few stitches? Red, you look like you've been run over!" Kayla exclaimed, pulling her chair out from behind her desk and offering it to Red. He smiled appreciatively and then collapsed into the seat, closing his eyes so he couldn't see her concerned look as she studied him.

"You were fighting again," she stated, folding her arms across her chest. "You were fighting again, and Eric kicked your butt."

"A whole lot more than my butt," Red groaned. "Oh, but we did see your boyfriend there."

"My boyfriend?" Kayla frowned, confused and not at all amused.

"Ryan McCarthy," Red chuckled and then gasped when the motion hurt.

"Why on earth did you call him that?" Kayla sighed, reaching into a small refrigerator for a bottle of water and then unscrewing the top before she handed it to Red.

"Only because you've been following him around ever since you watched that fight three years ago. The one between him and Jake what's-his-face."

"Tyler. And I haven't been following him around," Kayla said, rolling her eyes.

"Uh huh. Sure. You know his height, his weight, and what his tattoos are. You are just like your dad when it comes to finding a good fighter. He's here in Miami and he goes to one of your classes. When were you planning on talking to him?" Red asked before taking a sip of water.

"I wasn't planning on talking to him. There isn't any reason for me to."

"Kayla," Arthur spoke calmly. "This is your chance. You've been watching him, hoping that somehow or another he would be able to help you. Don't let it slip through your fingers."

"I do know a lot about McCarthy the fighter," Kayla said, biting her lip as she leaned back against the desk. "I also know that he has anger issues and an ego the size of Texas. He won't want to help. He has no idea who I am and he doesn't care. And I saw something in that last fight that you brought up, Red. McCarthy fights dangerously. He fights to kill. It takes far too many people to pull him off of an opponent. He isn't needed or wanted in this gym. I try to keep everything here friendly and appropriate for anyone who happens to step inside. I don't want him here."

"And seeing him with Eric did nothing to help your previous hopes, did it? He doesn't like Eric, Kay," Red mumbled, starting to nod off to sleep.

"Red, we need to get you home," Arthur grinned, helping Red out of the seat. "We'll see you tomorrow, Kayla. I'll be here in the morning, as always. And hey, you may want to think about giving McCarthy a chance. Red is right. He doesn't like Eric. You also know that Ryan is a good fighter. You should give him a chance."

Kayla watched the men leave and then shook her head before she finished closing up the gym. What the guys said was true. She _had _been greatly interested in Ryan McCarthy when she had seen him fight Jake three years ago. There was something about his passion for fighting, the fire inside of him, that had drawn her to him. She had been trained to know a good fighter when she saw him, and Ryan was a good one. But he also had severe issues to work through, including anger and aggression. His fighting hadn't stopped with that fight with Jake. He had spent the last three years fighting, whether it was physically with his fists, or emotionally. He had become somewhat of a celebrity, by way of YouTube, and Kayla hadn't like what she had seen of the cursing, mocking, arrogant famous McCarthy. She certainly didn't want to see any of that attitude here.

Three years ago. That's when he should have started college, Ryan thought to himself as he slipped into a seat in Prof. Elder's Algebra class the next day. If he had gone into college straight from high school, he wouldn't have had to be in this class. But _no_, instead he had to go work for his father, just to show the man that Ryan McCarthy could do more than fight. He had worked in his father's business, a state-of-the-arts hotel business in Orlando, and had then managed to blow a good bit of that money on fights and entertainment so that he was now taking money from his father's pocket again, so he could make something of himself. It was little wonder that Mr. McCarthy constantly harassed and pushed his son. And Algebra was one of the most boring class, to make matters worse, no matter how much Prof. Elder tried to make it interesting. It was a good thing that math came naturally to him.

Not so for the girl in front of him. She was hunched over her papers and textbook, her dirty-blonde hair draping down her back, as she tried to figure out why on earth variables were necessary, and why oh why did they have to be multiplied to this and that power, or even worse, divided? She was chewing on her pencil, something Ryan found both unappealing and yet cute at the same time. He shifted in his seat, about to get up and offer his assistance, but then a familiar red-headed man strode over to the girl and sat down next to her, leaning over her papers with her and murmuring instructions.

Ryan was pleased to see that Red's face didn't look nearly as bad as it had last night, though it still bore marks that spoke of a bad fight. Red didn't seem to notice, however, and helped the girl for a couple of minutes before he sat up straight and turned to look at Ryan.

"Well hello, McCarthy. I didn't know you were taking this class," Red grinned. "I didn't see you here yesterday. Get enough sleep last night?"

"That I did. Bet you did too," Ryan smirked, sitting back comfortably in his chair.

"Yeah. Painkillers and numbing shots seem to help one do that," Red sighed. "Oh, McCarthy, this is my friend, Kayla Fisher. She owns 'Ronny's.' She also has followed all of your fights for quite some time. She's quite the admirer of your fighting strategies."

"Red," the girl hissed, punching him lightly in the shoulder and then turning to face Ryan.

She was the jogger on the beach last night, but last night, he hadn't gotten a good look at her. She had a very pleasant face, with dancing hazel eyes, full lips, and just the faintest of freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks.

"How are you enjoying school so far?" she asked, her voice light and cheerful.

"I was never much one for classrooms," Ryan shrugged, letting his eyes glance over her. She had a good form, though it was hard to see beneath her loose polo shirt and plain jeans. If she had been in shorts and a tank top, she would certainly warrant some attention...

"Enjoying the view?" her voice cut into his thoughts, and he could see a spark in her light eyes. "There isn't much to see."

"If you've taken a good amount of time watching my fights, then you've taken time to look over my body. I thought it would only be fair if I returned the favor," Ryan chuckled, and she turned away from him quickly, her cheeks flaming red.

"Ooh, you are good," Red grinned, looking from Kayla's blushing face to Ryan's smirk. "She's really something, isn't she?"

"Hmm. Put her in a dress with a little makeup and you're one lucky man," Ryan mused.

"What about heels?" Red asked. "Think she'd look good in those?"

"I am sitting right here!" Kayla exclaimed, getting the attention of other students.

"Hey, I'm throwing a party at my place tonight. Would you be interested in coming?" Ryan asked, ignoring Kayla's frustration.

"Eh, I think I'll pass. Studying and all," Red shrugged. "But if you really want to have a good party, you'll find a way to get Eric to come. He can hook you up with most of Miami."

"And he won't have any problems with coming," Kayla added, still too embarrassed to look back. "He'll probably supply you with all the beer."

"And you know where to find him," Red nodded. "He'll be at his club tonight."

Prof. Elder walked into the room then, ending all conversation, but Ryan remained amused by the permanent blush on Kayla's face through the rest of the class.

"No one could throw a party like a McCarthy." That was the saying that was passed around from neighbor to neighbor and school to school in Orlando, and it seemed that the saying was going to follow the younger McCarthy all the way to Miami.

By the time 10:30 arrived that night, Ryan's apartment and the Miami beach were covered with partying college students as well as some other guests that happened to come along from Eric's nightclub. It seemed that word had spread through _The Vegas_ that someone at the beach was throwing a party, and whether or not everyone knew who was hosting it, they still went.

Here was a scene that Ryan could feel comfortable with. The classroom was an area that he almost wished were off-limits to him, but the party scenario was a place where he thrived and belonged. He could move quite easily through masses of bikini-clad and bare-chested bodies, never caring if someone just happened to brush against him or send a wink in his direction. A can of beer could drown every possible discomfort in this situation, and the fights that he knew were going to take place on the beach could distract him from whatever troubles of the day happened to be on his mind.

Ryan pressed through his crowded kitchen and stepped out onto his balcony, looking out at the beach, at what he almost considered to be his domain now, what with all the guests who were down there. It was almost too easy to be popular. At least for him it was. It was just a matter of getting in with the right girl or the right crowd. Then once the fights started...Bam! Ryan was a mega superstar in the world of college kids.

"McCarthy, I have to admit, you throw a pretty decent party," Eric commented, stepping up behind Ryan. "I'd actually like to offer you a job, if you'd like it."

"A job?" Ryan asked, an eyebrow arched as he tried not to grin with amusement. "What sort of job?"

"_The Vegas_ needs a few more bouncers to break up fights. I figure you're beef enough to do it, since you aren't interested in fighting and, no offense, but I don't think you'd hold up much to the fellows who do fight in there."

"Ah, but I'd hold up enough to be a bouncer? What do you have against me, Eric? Did my videos scare you off?" Ryan chuckled.

"Maybe you just don't have the guts to be a fighter," Eric scoffed, and Ryan stepped back, his hands up in almost a surrender gesture and feigned shock on his face.

"Whoa there. That's a bit of a blow below the belt," Ryan grinned, more amused than aggravated by Eric's obvious desire to fight. "Looks like we've got a bit of a fight going on down in the sand though," he chuckled, gesturing casually to the beach, successfully changing the conversation.

There were two women, both almost in the water, going at it like their lives depended on it.

"I've heard you were always good at explaining the causes of fights," Eric smirked, watching as the brunette managed to climb atop the blonde and went to town with her fists. "So what's their story?"

"Brunette caught Miss Blonde cheating with Brunette's boyfriend. Our aggressive, retaliating female is now attempting to avenge herself of the most degrading of hurts by beating the stuffing out of her weaker counterpart. Ah, and here comes the guilty boyfriend," Ryan chuckled, opening a can of beer and taking a swig as a tall man stepped into the fight, attempting to pull the girls apart. For his efforts, he was rewarded with an amazing blow to the chin, and then all three of the involved fight members exploded into action.

"Nothing like a three-way fight," Ryan grinned, turning away from the balcony and making his way into the apartment. "Excuse me, Eric, but this balcony only has room for one champ."

Ryan made his way down to the beach, jogging to get to the fight and watch. It was nearly over before he got there, but then another fight started, everyone moving to circle around the occupants and watch with cheers. One fight followed another until finally the guests began to disperse, going to their respective homes to get some sleep before they had to be at school or work.

The beach was deserted in a matter of minutes, leaving Ryan standing alone, looking thoughtfully out at the waves before he turned and made his way back to his apartment. The whole place was trashed when he stepped inside, for empty beer cans, food, and some other items that screamed of drugs were scattered all across the floors. The mess could wait until tomorrow. His bedroom hadn't been touched, and that was all he was concerned with at the moment.

He locked up the apartment doors and then made his way into his bedroom. Moonlight was flooding into the room, but he paid no mind to it as he pulled his shirt off over his head and then towards his bed. He was somewhat startled when he saw the shadows near his closet move, and then he watched as Roxanne, Eric's flirtatious girl, stepped towards him, her dark brown eyes taking in his chiseled upper body and the smirk on his face.

"Doors are locked. That usually means the party's over," Ryan chuckled.

"The way I see it, the party's just begun," Roxanne smiled, moving over to him and putting her hands on his chest with a contented hum.

"Now hold on," Ryan frowned, folding his arms across his chest. "Why so clingy? You and Eric are an item. I don't need you toying around with me, too. And you mocked me," he added. "Something about how Eric is a better fighter than I am?"

"I was only playing a part," Roxanne pouted, pressing her lips to Ryan's shoulder and grinning when he shuddered despite himself. "You are by far a better fighter. I watched your videos. I am not with Eric anymore," Roxanne smiled. "And I want you. Even if you don't much care for me..."

"Because, let's face it, I don't know a thing about you," Ryan interrupted, an eyebrow arched.

"I know you can't resist a free offer for a good time," Roxanne continued. "And I'm giving you that offer, McCarthy. One free night of fun."

"Which means that, on any other night, you'd make me pay," Ryan laughed. Roxanne's face turned a pretty shade of red in the dark lighting, and she spun away from him with a snort.

"You really are as arrogant as they say," she scowled, moving towards the door.

Ryan rolled his eyes and then turned and put a hand out, catching her by her shoulder.

"Listen, if you just want a good night, I'm game. But if I hear anything about Eric, no matter what state of undress you might happen to be in, I will throw you out. Got it?" he asked, and she turned and nodded before flinging herself at him.

It never once troubled Ryan that he could take any random girl and indulge in some pleasure with her without any regrets. He could slide into bed with a girl and come back out without having had any deep emotions at all throughout the entire event. He didn't stop to think about whether or not the girls had any emotions. He was accustomed to women having crushes on him, and he always thought he fulfilled their deepest dreams whenever he gave them what they wanted.

Of course, nothing he had done with them had ever had any lasting or severe consequences, either. This night wasn't going to be any different from any other night, in his mind, and so he gave Roxanne what she wanted, just happening to have a little bit of pleasure in it himself, and he didn't even bother considering the possible repercussions of what he had just done.


	4. Chapter 4

I don't know why it is, but fanfiction isn't letting me format my documents the way I need them to be, so I apologize in advance for how it may be difficult to figure out where Kayla's parts end and Ryan's start. Sorry! I am trying to get the format to cooperate, but it doesn't want to! :)

**Chapter Four: Champion **

School the next day was interesting, to say the least. Ryan arrived at his first class to see Roxanne leaning against one of the walls, surrounded by other girls, and she looked over at him and giggled, no doubt sharing her last evening's experience with her peers. Ryan didn't really care, for he was never one to be humble and if she wanted to spread the news of how great in bed he was, then by all means she was welcome to. It might just land him a girl every night.

He had a different reaction to last night from some of his classmates, however. When he stepped into Prof. McCay's American History, Kayla rolled her eyes and didn't bother looking at him, and Red greeted him with a smile, as always, but he seemed a little less comfortable than usual talking to the college jock. It must have been due to his inexperience, Ryan reasoned.

The reaction Ryan was not expecting came during a break between classes. He had walked into the parking garage to go somewhere for lunch when muscular hands reached out and grabbed him before shoving him back against the hood of someone's truck. Ryan knew fully well who it was before he saw his attacker's face, and he flung an arm up, slamming it against Eric's neck and making the man take a few steps back, giving Ryan the space and time he needed to pull away from the truck.

"What's got you so hot under the collar?" Ryan fumed, bracing his body and clenching his fists in preparation for another attack.

"What makes you think you can just come here and make yourself the king of everything you see, McCarthy?" Eric snarled. "You're too much a coward to accept my challenges for fights, so instead you go after my girl?"

"Your girl? You sound so possessive," Ryan chided, smirking. "She came to me, Eric. Hate to break it to you, man, but apparently, not only are you a lousy fighter, but you're also a miserable partner."

Eric cursed and lunged at Ryan, effectively slamming Ryan's body into the truck hood again. He raised his fist to slam it into Ryan's face, but Ryan was fast and spun away so that Eric's fist came in contact with the truck. The car alarm immediately went off, and there could be no hiding the fist-sized dent in the hood.

"Aww. I sure hope that wasn't your truck," Ryan tsked, leaning against the side of the truck. "A word of advice, Eric. Don't try and go up against the best when you can't even stand up to the worst."

He turned away and continued making his way to his car, but he stopped when he heard Eric shout to him.

"McCarthy, get yourself to the club tonight so I can see your miserable body flung all over the ring and then thrown out!"

"Ooh. Look who's suddenly gotten brave," Ryan grinned, mock terror on his face. "You going to fight me, Eric?"

"I'm raising the wins to $3,000.00 tonight. Of course, your life isn't even worth that much," Eric sneered.

"I"m hurt. Really hurt," Ryan gasped, putting his hand over his heart. "I'll be there. And have some ice packs and a medic waiting, because you're going to need them."

"I don't know that I will, McCarthy," Eric said in a low voice before he unlocked the now-dented truck and slid into the driver's seat.

Ryan half expected Eric to run him over, but it seemed Eric's pride hadn't been hurt enough for him to commit homicide.

News spread like wildfire that Ryan "The Terror" McCarthy was going to be fighting at _The Vegas_ that evening. It was spoken about excitedly through the halls of campus, and money started flying as the great debate over who would win, Ryan or any of his rivals, was conversed about in multiple groups of students. And despite Red being disappointed about Ryan's late night fling with Roxanne, he was just as excited as everyone else when he heard about the fight that was soon to take place. This was something he had no trouble displaying at "Ronny's" that afternoon after school.

"Art! Hey, Art!" Red shouted, bursting into the gym and running through the middle of a basketball game to where his friend lay on a bench, lifting weights. "Ryan McCarthy's going to be fighting at _The Vegas _tonight! You want to come?"

"I thought he wasn't interested in fighting," Arthur frowned, glancing to the side when he saw a young woman approaching him, a bright smile on her pale face. He then boosted his efforts at weight-lifting, moving faster and making it look effortless.

"You shouldn't be lifting weights," Red frowned, folding his arms across a chest.

"We discussed this, remember? A man needs his pride. This is my pride, and fighting is yours," Art smiled understandingly.

"Oh, very well. I'm going to watch McCarthy. You want to come with me? You can bring Becky with you," Red grinned, winking at his friend. "It won't look bad because you both will be going with me. Her father won't have any reason to..."

"You know how he dislikes the thought of his pretty white daughter going out with a black guy like me," Art frowned, ceasing to lift the weights and then sitting up.

"What are you two talking about?" Becky smiled, her beautiful blue eyes dancing at Arthur as she came to a stop next to Red and then handed Arthur a towel.

"Ryan McCarthy is going to be fighting tonight," Red said, and he was loud enough so that more than just Becky heard him. There was a young boy sitting on one of the nearby bleachers, watching the basketball game, and he turned with a huge smile on his face when he heard what Red said.

"Really, Red?" the young man, who couldn't have been more than five-years-old, asked as he jumped off the bleacher and raced towards the older men. "'The Terror' is going to be fighting tonight?"

"He is," Red nodded. "What are you up to these days, Nick? Haven't seen you in awhile, Buddy."

"Becky's been watching me at my house. We watch TV and play with Legos," Nick grinned, his dark brown eyes sparkling, looking almost like they glowed above his prominent freckles.

"Cool! I'm going to go find Kay. I'll bet she'll go with me tonight," Red grinned, once again trotting through the basketball game.

"Good luck with that!" Art called, but Red was already out of hearing range.

Red found Kayla seated behind the reception desk, studying again as two more of the gym members slipped inside and made their way into the gym. She was so deep in study that she didn't even see Red standing in front of her, and he had to clear his throat to get her attention.

"Hey, Kayla," he smiled, leaning over the counter to look at her study material. "Want to take a break from that tonight and go to a fight with me?"

"You know what I think about fights," she frowned, not even looking up from her book.

"This time it's McCarthy."

"All the reason for me not to go," Kayla sighed, and the she did look up, her eyes tired. "He has enough arrogance without anyone extra there to cheer him on."

"You used to love watching him fight."

"I used to love watching anyone fight," Kayla said quietly. "Things changed though, Red. You know that."

"Let the past go, Kay. It's done and over with. It's been years."

"The last fight I went to was the one with McCarthy and Tyler. You were there with me. I nearly had a heart attack. I couldn't handle the memories, remember? I was hyperventilating so badly that I scared you. I don't need to put you or myself through that again, Red."

"McCarthy is your favorite fighter, despite what you say, Kay. And you had a good crush on him before you couldn't go to fights anymore," Red said gently.

"I stopped having crushes a long time ago," Kayla whispered.

"Kay, I understand how you're feeling, but we need him. We need him badly, and you know that. I'm going to go watch him tonight, and if I'm pleased with what I see, I'll let you know. He can help us, Kay," Red persisted, moving away from the desk.

"Now if only he ever thought about helping others," Kayla shook her head before diving into her studying again.

_ The Vegas _dance club was louder than Ryan remembered it being as he stepped into the throng of dancers that evening, feeling more confident and cocky than any human had any right to feel. These were _his_ people. They were all here to see _him_. He grinned with amusement as women flocked around him, rubbing against him and whispering inviting temptations into his ear. And they hadn't even seen him fight yet. Men also came to him, shaking his hand, greeting him with a pat on the shoulder or a chuck on the back, and grinning broadly, looking forward to seeing the Orlando fighter up against some of their own.

He made his way towards the center of the large room, where the ring was set up,wanting to see his rivals for the evening. There would be seven men fighting, it seemed, and Eric wasn't on the list. The last fighter must have been one of his cronies, and Eric just wanted to sit out and watch this time. He was clever. Ryan could give him that much. It was one of the most important trainings of fighting, to watch one's rivals and learn their styles before you actually fought against them.

It amused Ryan that there was a good bit of gambling going on, bets being placed on who thought who was going to win the $3,000.00 competition. He was pleased that several bets were being placed on him. Those people were going to be glad they did it. The bartender of the club offered him a drink on the house, and Ryan chugged the shot of vodka in one gulp and then turned to see Red making his way towards him. The poor kid looked entirely lost as bodies pressed against him from all sides, but he smiled good naturedly at Ryan, just like he always did, and joined the fighter at the bar counter.

"So...McCarthy," Red grinned, leaning against the counter with Ryan. "Did you get a good look at the contestants?"

"I did. I don't believe I've seen any of them fight," Ryan said, waving the bartender away when he was offered a can of beer. "Anything I should be worried about?"

"I think you'll wipe five of them out. Chance Kristoff is another matter, though," Red said easily. "He fights hard."

"What are his strengths and what are his weaknesses? And he's Eric's man, isn't he?"

"He is," Red nodded. "He's strong. He packs a good punch. He likes to trip his opponents whenever he can. He is all about upper body, which would explain why his weakness is lower attacks. He won't be watching your legs as much as he'll be watching your arms and fists. You have one up on him just for that."

"I saw you aren't fighting tonight," Ryan grinned, pushing away from the counter and walking towards the ring again, Red at his side.

"I'm not an idiot. No matter how much I could use the money, I do value my life."

"Smart guy," Ryan grinned, putting a hand on Red's shoulder even as Eric slipped through the ropes of the ring and began his shouting, getting everyone's attention.

It was no surprise to Ryan when he was announced as one of the first fighters. May as well wear him out in the beginning of the fighting that way he couldn't make it to the end. If Eric thought that trick was going to work, he was dead wrong. The longer Ryan was in front of an audience, the stronger he seemed to get. He also wasn't surprised that Chance was the last fighter on the list. May as well save the best for last.

Ryan was called into the ring, along with Paul Fox, who appeared to be the same height as Ryan with a bit more mass. That didn't bother Ryan in the least. He smirked as the audience cheered, the whole room drowning in shouts of mockery and encouragement. Ah yes. This was his place and these were his people. They just didn't know it yet.

He didn't take his time in removing his shirt, favoring the idea of pulling it off quickly to show aggression rather than moving slowly and showing arrogance. He grinned when women cheered, and he turned to his audience with an air punch before stretching his neck from one side and then the other, none-to-subtly making his shoulder muscles flex. He then slightly stretched his arms, and that was all the show he was planning on giving. He pulled on the offered practice gloves and then waited for the fight. His focus wasn't to please everyone with his looks. No, this was about his fight.

The fight with Paul began, and it seemed as though Ryan McCarthy had never left the ring. In less than a minute, his knees were pressing hard into Paul's stomach and his fists were pumping back and forth into Paul's face. The weaker opponent was wise and tapped out before Ryan could do any serious damage, and the referee helped Paul to his feet and out of the ring before the next rival, Aaron Parker, stepped in.

One opponent after the next went down, either not having the aggression or not having the skill to stand up for long against "The Terror." Ryan could have cared less about them. The only person he was intent on beating into the ground was Chance. As far as he was concerned, Chance was Eric with a different face, and Eric had been asking to be destroyed ever since he had crossed paths with Ryan.

Chance was tall, standing at about 6ft.4in. and weighing well over two hundred pounds. According to Red, he was a great fighter, and he had to have been if Eric was sending him in his place. Rather a wimpy move in Ryan's opinion, but if Eric really thought it wasn't worth his time and money to fight Ryan, well, he would learn differently tonight.

The referee called for the fight to begin, and Chance gave no warning. He lunged like a bulldozer at Ryan, punching Ryan squarely in the jaw, making his face snap to the side. The man could indeed pack a punch, and Ryan familiarized himself again with the unpleasant sensation of facial bruises and the taste of blood. There wasn't much time to think on that, however, for Chance was swinging at him again. Fast reflexes sent Ryan dodging low and then striking out with the side of his hand, hitting Chance in the side. He then stood back to his full height, blocking a blow to his head with his right arm while he swung out with his left, slamming his fist into Chance's ribs. He felt the contact strongly enough to know that he had just successfully cracked some ribs, but Chance wasn't easily deterred, and he became even faster and his blows became harder.

A left hook to Ryan's right ear, followed by a right hook underneath his chin sent Ryan staggering back, but he jumped back into the fight, slamming his head into Chance's chest and wrapping his arms around the bigger man so that he could pound punches into his back and sides. Chance took advantage of that and looped one leg around Ryan's knees, making his legs buckled and sending Ryan down onto his back with a hard punch to his chest for good measure.

Ryan hated being on his back more than he hated any other position, and he shouted angrily as Chance landed on the mat with him, locking him into place with his legs and then proceeding to punch Ryan full force in the chest and face.

_"Coward, coward, get up!" _Ryan chastised himself, blocking his face as well as he could.

He began to scramble, undoubtedly looking like a dog caught on its back, and dislodged himself from Chance's hold, though it took a great deal of trouble, for in addition to a bruised and bleeding face, he now had a few cracked ribs and a hard punch to the shoulder, possibly a dislocation of his arm, and his whole body was screaming at him. Adrenaline kept him going, however, and he got to his feet and stumbled back, his fists still up in defense as Chance followed him up.

It was time to go for the legs. Ryan blocked every attack that Chance threw at him, taking heed to watch out for the other man's legs in case he though to get him down on the mat again. He watched, out of the corner of his eye, how Chance's legs moved, what steps and pivots he liked to take, and when the timing was just right, Ryan kicked out, slamming the top of his foot hard against the back of Chance's knee. Everyone up in the front row of the audience could hear the impact of that kick, and Chance nearly went down. He was distracted just long enough for Ryan to throw some hard punches at his face, and then Ryan slammed his foot against the back of Chance's other knee, and the man went down. Ryan didn't stop there, but dropped onto the mat and grabbed Chance in a headlock before he continued beating him, and when Chance tapped violently on the mat, he at first ignored him. How dare Eric think to play such a trick, to send someone to fight in his place? He would never forget when he challenged a McCarthy!

"Hey man! Man, let up!" Chance shouted, bringing Ryan back to the present. Ryan was tempted to keep holding on, as he was accustomed to doing, until the referee and some bouncers came to pull him off, but then he saw Red standing at the edge of the crowd, and he remembered the grace and mercy Red had shown to the other fighters. Ryan wouldn't stoop so low as to help someone off the ground, but he could stop fighting.

Ryan released Chance and then stood up. His hand was lifted up into the air in victory, stretching his chest enough so that he could feel every cracked rib and bruise. He groaned and doubled over, trying to protect all of the injuries, and then he was assisted out of the ring. He glared, a long, angry glare, at Eric as he stumbled past the man and went to the ticket counter to get the check for his $3,000.00.

Victory wasn't always sweet. Ryan was reminded of this as he stood in the bathroom of the dance club, trying to compose himself when all he wanted to do was collapse in a heap on the floor. He couldn't recall the last time he had been so brutally beaten. Perhaps it was because he was out of shape. He had all his own exercise equipment at the apartment, but maybe he needed someone to hold him accountable to working out again. And maybe he needed someone to drive him home...

"Dude, you sure took a beating!" A familiar voice called, and Ryan didn't even turn his head to see Red and that friend of his (what was his name again?), Arthur, stepping into the bathroom

"Wow. You look pretty bad," Art mentioned, bringing Ryan's shirt over to him. "Do you need help getting home?"

"He isn't going home. He needs someone to take care of him. I'm bring him to 'Ronny's'. You should probably go back out and make sure Becky stays safe. I'll be right out with him," Red said, gathering up some paper towels and getting them damp in the sink.

Ryan heard Arthur leave, and he let out a long sigh as Red moved over to him

"They didn't have ice," he said uncomfortably, his whole chest hurting when he spoke.

"Of course not," Red nodded, turning Ryan so he could get a good look at his face. "Why would Eric have any ice waiting for you? Dude, you look like you've been hit with a club."

Without question, Red began to wipe at Ryan's face, getting as much blood as he could away from his nose and mouth.

"If someone walks in, they're going to get the entirely wrong impression," Ryan chuckled and then groaned.

"You know what you need, McCarthy? You need to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and accept help every now and then. I'm not bringing you to Kay looking like someone tried to murder you."

"Kay?" Ryan frowned as Red threw the soiled paper towels out.

"She knows how to deal with your kind of wounds. She's used to having to mend up fighters," Red nodded. "I warn you now, though. No cocky comments from you, because she sure knows how to hurt them as well."

Once Red was satisfied that Ryan looked at least halfway decent, he helped Ryan out of the bathroom and into the dance club. He led Ryan over to where Arthur and Becky stood waiting, and Becky moved to Ryan with concern.

"Ryan, these are my friends Becky and Arthur," Red introduced and Ryan nodded and waved slightly, giving them a tight smile.

"Charmed," he grimaced.

"Let's get you to some help," Art frowned. "Do you need an extra hand?"

"No thanks. I at least need to walk out of here on my own. You may have to carry me once we're outside, though," Ryan chuckled, pulling away from Red and attempting to stand up straight, but his cracked ribs wouldn't let him. "Of course, I may be crawling instead of walking..."

He made it to the doorway on his own and scowled when he found Eric standing there, his arms folded over his chest as though he had been waiting.

"Too much in pain to stand tall, Champ?" Eric sneered and then let his gaze drift over Arthur and Becky. He looked as though he was going to say a snide remark but then thought better of it and turned his attention to Red. "Tell Kayla I said hello," he said coolly and then turned and went back into the club.

"Jerk," Red muttered under his breath as they made their way out of the casino and into the alcove to wait for their cars. He called for the waiting carhops to get just his car, because Ryan most certainly wasn't going to be driving himself anywhere tonight. "We'll get your car in the morning," Red assured him and then watched as his truck was driven up and everyone else got in. He then let out a long sigh and got into the driver's seat, shaking his head as he considered just how long this night was turning out to be.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Ronny's**

There was nothing impressive at "Ronny's," Ryan was fairly certain, until he, Art, Becky, and Red walked inside. From the outside, it looked like any ordinary gym, if not in need perhaps of a bit of repairs, and once he stepped inside, he found himself looking at a reception desk with a wall behind it that had two open doorways, one on either side of that wall. From here, he could hear the sound of sneakers pounding and squeaking against a basketball court floor, and men were shouting back and forth, but there was nothing extraordinary about that either. No, what made this place impressive, in Ryan's mind, was the gorgeous creature sitting behind the desk, her denim-clad legs up on the top of one chair while the rest of her body was skillfully situated in a more-comfortable seat. Her nearly brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and her hazel eyes were fixated on the open Algebra book in her hands.

"Kay, we need some help," Art spoke, and Kayla looked up from her studying and glanced over the desk. Her eyes widened when they came to rest on Ryan, and then she rolled her eyes and grinned almost wickedly at him.

"Really, McCarthy, going bare-chested doesn't impress me. I can give you credit for trying, however."

"Ouch," Ryan chuckled lightly, his eyes looking over her form quickly before he met her eyes with his own. "Eric informed us that we were to tell you hello for him."

"What are you doing here?" Kayla sighed, putting her book down and then getting up so that she could stand in front of the others. "If you are here to cause trouble then rest assured, for I certainly don't need any more."

"He was pretty badly beaten up, Kay," Becky said, grinning at the appeal that was already obvious between Ryan and Kayla. "He needs your help."

"What happened?" Kayla asked, moving closer to Ryan and looking him over, assessing him for his injuries.

"Oh dear. Perhaps I should have put a shirt on. I'm being ogled over," Ryan smirked, and Kayla shot an irritated glance up at him before she took a step back.

"Let me see if I can properly describe what happened. You got in a fight with one of Eric's men and now have cracked ribs, a cut on your lip that may possibly need stitches, a beautiful black eye, and several shiners that are going to hurt like crazy tomorrow?"

"Close, Kay," Red laughed. "He went into a fight match at _The Vegas_ and won $3,000.00."

"You actually won?" Kayla gasped.

"Will you help him out?" Art chuckled.

"Oh, I suppose. Let me get him into one of the rooms. If you can get me some ice, rags, and a bottle of water, Red, that would be terrific. Come on, Ryan. Let's get you fixed up," Kayla said, beginning to lead the way into the gym.

Ryan was relieved that he didn't have to pass by any of the basketball participants, for he was bound to be picked on for his present state. He was led into a side room that looked like it could have been used for storage at one point in time but was now being used for shuffleboard.

"Who plays shuffleboard these days?" he questioned as Kayla gestured to a bench for him to sit on.

"The children that come here," she answered, turning to take her requested supplies from Red. To her discomfort, her friend immediately left, leaving her and Ryan to themselves.

"Children?" Ryan questioned.

"Mm hmm. When their parents come to work out, I like to have something for them to do," Kayla nodded, taking a damp rag and wiping at Ryan's face with it. "I'm sorry that I'm not the most pleasant person to be around, Ryan. I've had a little too much experience with fighters."

"I've gathered that from how Eric speaks of you," Ryan nodded and flinched when she accidentally bumped his arm.

"You've dislocated your arm," Kayla said gently. "I can take care of that."

She took a hold on Ryan's lower arm and then gently began to work it back and forth, in towards his chest and then out towards her own body, and Ryan hissed in pain as his sore muscles stretched. Less than a minute later, however, he heard a popping sound, and immediately his shoulder and arm felt back to normal.

"You're good," he commented, and Kayla grinned as she moved to work on his face again.

"Lots of kids I know have dislocated their arms," she grinned. "Your lip may need stitches. Open your mouth for me. And no rude comments," she warned. "I have a good feeling that I know how your mind works."

Ryan chuckled despite himself as he parted his lips for her. She put her fingers gently to his bottom lip and leaned in closer to look at his wound. It would have been the perfect opportunity to lean forward and kiss her, but Ryan had the feeling she wouldn't appreciate it. From here, however, he could see the freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks, so light that they were usually hard to see, but now they just looked adorable. There could be no denying it. Kayla was one beautiful woman.

"Nope. I don't think you need stitches. Just keep drying up the blood," Kayla interrupted his thoughts. "Now there isn't too much I can do for your cracked ribs. You'll just have to lay still as much as you can and put ice on them. That bruise close to your hip has me a bit worried, though. It's a rather dark shade of purple. I'm worried about a blood clot. I am having trouble telling how much of that is the bruise and how much of it is your tattoo," she frowned.

"You are welcome to take a closer look," Ryan grinned, and she turned a flaming red before turning quickly and picking up an ice pack. With no warning, she pressed it against the bruise, and Ryan hissed in pain, jerking away from her.

"Ooh, that was cruel," he commented, his whole body erupting in goose bumps.

"You deserve it. None of you guys can ever watch your mouths," Kayla grinned. "I think you're all set to go. Just take care to stay as still as you can, and those ribs will heal on their own. I know that's hard, due to school and all that, but I think you can handle it."

"Beneath that innocent exterior is a wicked sense of humor," Ryan groaned, getting to his feet and holding out his hand. "Thanks, Doctor."

"Hold on. Your lip is bleeding again."

He was already standing up, and Kayla was somewhat surprised to see how tall he was. She had known his height ever since he started fighting, but her 5ft.5in. next to his 6 feet was almost intimidating. And, while she wouldn't let him know it, she was absolutely thrilled to be this close to Ryan McCarthy. He had been her favorite fighter ever since she had first watched him, and in real life, he was even better than in the videos. Something about his toned chest, his chiseled abs, and his broad frame and hard muscles sent shivers down her spine, and she tried her absolute best not to show it as she wiped away the blood. His lips...it was almost like she was drawn to them, and she caught herself leaning in closer. Thank God he was so tall! And that smile...when he smiled...

"You seem distracted, Freckles," Ryan grinned, licking his lower lip and unintentionally getting the tip of her finger.

"Freckles?" she breathed, recalling the last time she had ever heard that nickname. It had been nearly six years ago now...

"Yes. Unless you mind that," Ryan smiled.

"Well, it wouldn't be as bad as if I started calling you Ry, I suppose."

"Ry?" he frowned, his eyebrows narrowed as though he was in thought. "Ry," he spoke again, letting the nickname roll off his tongue. "Actually, I like it. Freckles, it's nice to meet you. Thanks for all the help. I'm Ry," Ryan chuckled, holding out his hand again.

It took her a moment to put her hand in his to shake it. It seemed as though she was hesitant, though for the life of him Ryan couldn't figure out why. She was quick to pull her hand away and then turned and gathered up her supplies.

"Let me show you the way out," she said uncomfortably and then led him out of the shuffleboard room and back out into lobby.

Red was waiting there, and he nodded to Kayla before he walked outside with Ryan.

"Let me give you a drive home," Red said easily, unlocking his car. "She's pretty good at what she does, isn't she?"

"She seems nervous, at least around me," Ryan frowned, getting into the passenger seat.

"Not all of Kay's experiences with fighters have been nice," Red said easily, starting the car. "Hey, there's going to be a party here tomorrow night. Want to come?"

"A party?" Ryan questioned, closing his eyes and leaning back against the seat.

"One of the kids is having a birthday party and a bunch of us guys are going to have a basketball game."

"I pretty much stink at basketball," Ryan chuckled. "You wouldn't want me there."

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun," Red grinned. "And you might surprise yourself. Plus, there will be free pizza. And if that's not enough, Kay will be there."

"What does Kayla have to do with anything?" Ryan asked tiredly.

"You two have some chemistry going. Don't even try to lie about that."

"Don't think she's really fond of me, man. Do you know how to get to my apartment?"

"I need your address," Red said, and Ryan gave it to him before the driver continued talking. "If I told you that you are Kayla's absolute favorite fighter, what would you say?"

"Why are you trying so hard to get us together? Look, the girl's sweet and she's pretty, but she's not my type," Ryan shrugged. "I go for more aggression and, well, _sexy_. Your darling Kayla looks like she's trying to hide her figure, which does nothing for my opinions of her."

"You're so shallow, McCarthy," Red frowned. "One day you'll see that those things don't really matter. Kay is the best girl in this whole state. Why do you think Eric wants her so badly?"

"Because Eric's a jerk and wants everything that isn't his," Ryan grumbled. "And Kayla isn't the kind to sleep around with guys so he probably wants to take advantage of that opportunity."

Red didn't say anything, but a solemn expression crossed his face, and Ryan opened his eyes and looked at his companion.

"I hit it on the head, didn't I?" he asked.

"Look, I don't go into Kay's personal affairs," Red said easily. "If you want to know anything in depth about her, you need to talk to her. Anyways, are you going to come tomorrow night? That's my last offer."

"Sure. Why not?" Ryan yawned again.

He nearly fell asleep in the car, but they arrived at his apartment before he could, and then he thanked Red and made his way to his shower. He was barely able to stay awake for that, and once he was finished, he managed to get dressed in some pajama pants and then collapsed onto his bed and immediately fell asleep.

School was a killer the following day. No thanks to all of his bruises and wounds, Ryan hadn't slept well, and he had trouble staying awake and attentive in classes. And then, of course, Eric and his cronies were mocking him for the last evening's fight, though he _had_ won, so really there was no reason for him to be bothered by them. The women seemed to take more of a liking to him than usual, though. Probably because he had so many bruises and had managed to beat Chance up. That was one perk of it all.

Red seemed busier than usual, and so didn't stop to say hello. He managed to wave to Ryan at one point from across the hall, but then he was gone, rushing about. Kayla seemed busy as well, but Ryan found her sitting by herself in Algebra that afternoon, so he took the opportunity to slide into the seat next to her.

"You're really into Algebra, aren't you?" he asked.

She didn't look at him, but nodded her head and spoke, still staring into her math book.

"Math is something I don't do very well with," Kayla said, pushing some loose hair out of her face. "But it's a requirement, so I'm trying my best."

"What are you here for?" Ryan asked, tapping his part of the table with his pencil.

"English, actually. I'd like to teach middle school or high school English," Kayla smiled. "Which is why math is not my strong point."

"I bet you cream all of your English classes, though," Ryan grinned. "What are you doing at 'Ronny's' as far as work is concerned? It has nothing to do with anything you're trying to learn."

"Family business," Kayla shrugged. "I could ask the same of you. What are you doing in Miami when your father has a successful business in Orlando?"

"So you _do _know a lot about me," Ryan smirked, leaning back and putting his arms behind his head. "What else do you know?"

She turned bright red and looked down at her math book again.

"It's no little known fact that you were quite the popular fighter in Orlando," she murmured.

"But I thought you don't like fighters?"

"My father used to be one. A professional boxer, at least. And I've watched more than my share of men being trained to do what you do. As a whole, you are an arrogant, self-righteous, flirtatious lot of people, but I do, well, _did _have specific fighters that I used to watch," she said quickly.

"Who is your father?" Ryan asked, immediately interested.

"Eugene Fisher, the Iron Tiger of Tampa," Kayla said quietly.

"Seriously?" Ryan exclaimed and then lowered his voice when the other students turned to stare at him. "Your father won the national boxing championship way back when, didn't he?"

"Yes," Kayla nodded. "So now you see why I'm interested in fighters and why I work at a gym. It was originally his gym, called 'Ronny's' after his father. I know a good fighter when I see one, Ryan. And...well, you're a good fighter."

"Now I'm flattered."

"Your head is already as inflated as it's going to get. Don't let it pop," Kayla grinned. "Are you coming over to the gym tonight?"

"Yeah. It's a kid's birthday party, right?"

"Well, you guys are all going to be playing basketball, I think, but yes. That's who the party is for. And you were mainly invited because the birthday boy, Nick, is a huge fan of yours. Just do me a favor, and don't encourage him to be a fighter. He doesn't need to want to be that," Kayla smiled. "His mother would have problems. He already wants to be a pirate."

"I'll take note of that," Ryan grinned and then leaned forward as the professor stepped into the room and began speaking.

He found, as the older man taught the class, that his gaze kept shifting over to Kayla. She was very sincere in her desire to be good at Algebra, for she gave Prof. Elder her undying attention and never noticed Ryan gazing at her. Just as there was something dark and frightening about Eric, there was something beautiful and attractive about Kayla. He found her to be most distracting, and he was looking forward to getting to speak with her more when night arrived.


	6. Chapter 6

**Just a note from me... This is not the usual type of writing I do. I am trying to make this particular story as realistic as I possibly can, hence some of the harsh realities in this writing that you probably won't find in any of my other stuff. So, for those of you who have been following my writing and are noting that this has somewhat more difficult topics than the usual, this is why! I do think this is the most realistic contemporary story I've written, and I really like how it's turning out, despite its rougher content. So enjoy, and please, please keep reviewing! **

**Chapter Six: Pain of the Past**

There was no one at "Ronny's" reception desk that night, so Ryan let himself into the gym. He really had a good look at it now, unlike the other night ,and he was interested to find that "Ronny's" had actually one been a huge storage building. Above a large basketball court and bleachers were rafters and a large wrap-around ramp with other rooms branching off of it. The lighting fixtures all looked old, as though they were from the late 80s, early 90s, but they still worked. On the main floor, Ryan noticed, there were also several rooms branching off of the basketball court area, and they made him curious. What was in all of the different rooms? Since it was a gym, he was certain that there were locker rooms, several workout rooms and the like, and he wondered if perhaps there might be a room set aside specifically for boxing and fighting, since Kayla had already mentioned how her famous father had once owned the place.

"Hey, McCarthy!" A familiar voice called, and Ryan looked to the side to see Red trotting towards him from one of the adjoining rooms. "Come on! The party's already started in the other room. If you want pizza, you better hurry up and get in there!"

Ryan followed Red into the adjoining room, which proved to be quite large and was filled with punching bags and weights. The party was set up in here, and he was amazed by how many people had come. Husbands were their with their wives and, of course, their children, who were sitting around a large table. Ryan smiled and waved at several of the parents, and he couldn't help but grin when Kayla came to his side and smiled up at him, practically glowing.

"Nick will be so thrilled to see you!" she whispered, nearly jumping with excitement. "Can I make a spectacle of you? Please?"

"I don't mind at all. Feel free to remove my shirt. That's bound to get everyone's attention," Ryan smirked.

Kayla rolled her eyes and then turned towards the table with the children.

"Nick!" she called. "I want you to meet Ryan McCarthy!"

"Ryan McCarthy?" An adorable boy with huge brown eyes, dark brown hair, and freckles exclaimed, jumping off his chair and running towards Kayla. "Ryan 'The Terror's' here? Really?"

"I told you he has an admiration for you," Kayla beamed as Nick came to a skidding stop in front of her and Ryan and then stared up into Ryan's face.

"You're really here!" Nick shouted. "Wow! I can hardly believe it!"

"Nice meeting you, Nick. Happy Birthday," Ryan grinned, shaking the birthday boy's hand. "Oh, and I brought a present for you."

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small package wrapped in paper that looked like a treasure map.

"I used to love pirates," he said, handing Nick the present.

"Wow! A present from Ryan McCarthy! Thank you so much!" Nick said, beaming at Kayla as he hurriedly opened up the present. The wrapping paper fell away to reveal the "Muppet's Treasure Island" DVD. Nick bounded back to the table to show all of his friends, and then Red started handing out slices of pizza.

Ryan was pleased that Kayla remained at his side, watching the party unfold with glowing eyes.

"Don't be fooled," she spoke, a tremor in her voice from all the joy she was trying to contain, "you are without a doubt the best birthday present he could ever have."

"He is a cute kid. His parents must be so proud," Ryan smiled as Red handed him a slice of pepperoni pizza.

Kayla looked up at him quizzically, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?"

"I didn't realize you had such a thoughtful side," she said pensively.

"I'm not all muscle and mouth, Freckles," Ryan said, biting into his pizza.

"I'm beginning to realize that...Ry," she said slowly, as though uncertain of his nickname.

Ryan was spared, after the meal, from having to play basketball, because Red insisted that he sit the game out, due to his cracked ribs. He debated on going and spending his time with the kids, watching "Treasure Island," but soon found himself watching the basketball game and cheering on the players.

Kayla stood watching the game, positioned close to the front entrance that way, if anyone came in, she would be able to catch them and talk to them. She didn't hear, however, when the door opened, and she didn't see five men come walking in, moving towards the basketball court. She was made aware of their presence when an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close against a large body. A face buried itself in the back of her shoulder, and hot breath drifted across the back of her neck.

"Kayla," a familiar voice sang, and she shivered before turning her head slightly to see Eric there, a smirk on his face. "Did you miss me?"

"No, I didn't. I was actually quite happy that you had left my life for awhile. Let me go," Kayla frowned, putting her hands to his arm and shoving him away. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd check the place out and check up on an old friend of mine," Eric grinned, taking her hand and dragging her over to him again. "Kayla," he chuckled, looking her up and down, "you're looking good, babe. Very good indeed."

"Eric, let me go," Kayla struggled. "Go find someone else to harass."

"Why should I do that when I can just bother you?" Eric laughed, pressing his face to her neck and breathing in deeply.

"Eric..."

"I don't believe you're welcome here," a firm voice said from behind Eric, and Eric turned his head to see Ryan standing there, his arms folded across his chest and an eyebrow arched. "She doesn't seem to be getting any pleasure from you. Actually, she appears to be in distress, so do us all a favor. The sight of you two together makes me sick, so move your sorry butt away from her, Eric, before I have to do the honors and remove you myself," Ryan said easily.

Eric released Kayla and then smiled unkindly at Ryan.

"I came to find you, actually, McCarthy. You had fun last night with Chance. I'd like to challenge you to another fight."

"If it's with another one of your minions, Eric, then I'm not interested. You're quite the coward to send someone else to fight for you. It takes away points from your manliness," Ryan smirked.

"No, this fight would be with me, tomorrow night at _The Vegas_. The prize money is the same as last night. What do you say?" Eric chuckled.

"You want me to prove myself again?" Ryan frowned. "I didn't make my skills obvious last night?"

"Guys, please," Kayla sighed, shaking her head. "Just stop with the fighting already. Ryan, you're in no shape to fight and from the looks of it, Eric," she said, looking him up and down with a small smile on her face, "you sure aren't in any shape to fight either."

"I accept your offer," Ryan glared at Eric. "Now you can leave, seeing as you have no other purpose for being here than to bother Kayla."

"And since when do you care, McCarthy?" Eric snorted, rolling his eyes before he moved to Kayla and planted a kiss against her cheek before he and his companions turned and left the gym.

"Ryan," Kayla frowned, folding her arms across her chest. "You have cracked ribs and some severe bruises. Don't you dare go and fight tomorrow night."

"He's been asking for it," Ryan shrugged. "He'll be the one getting beat up tomorrow night."

"You sound so sure of that," Kayla sighed, moving to sit on one of the bleachers.

"I am sure," Ryan nodded. "I've watched Eric at his club. He gets drunk before the fights start. He's going to make a complete fool of himself tomorrow night."

"And you going into a fight with broken ribs isn't being foolish?" she asked, watching as he moved to sit next to her.

"You know, I don't think I've ever had anyone so concerned about me before," he grinned, scooting closer to her and pressing his shoulder against hers with a little nudge. "You don't hate me. I'm pleased."

"I don't really hate anyone," Kayla laughed, shaking her head. "Though I do appreciate a little bit of space to myself."

"Is that a hint?" Ryan grinned.

"Not really, but this is," she chuckled, poking him lightly in the ribs.

"Ouch!" he hissed, jumping slightly to the side. "Cracked ribs!"

"I know! If you think that hurt, why on earth are you going into a fight tomorrow night?" Kayla giggled. "Is impressing people really worth getting hurt more?"

"This isn't about impressing people. I don't like Eric," Ryan shrugged.

"No one does, but..."

"Why don't you? What is his deal with you?" Ryan asked as the basketball game started up again. "You seem like the kind to get along with everyone."

"Well, that wasn't an intrusive question," she rolled her eyes with a grin. "Why so curious?"

"I just want to get to know you better. Flirting and beating around the bush doesn't work, so I figured being direct might be the answer," Ryan said flippantly. "So what's the story on you two?"

"I'd really rather not discuss it," Kayla frowned slightly. "It isn't a very nice story."

"I think I already have it figured out," Ryan said easily, putting his arms behind his head and leaning back as he let his eyes close.

"Oh really?" she questioned, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Sure. At least, I have an idea of what makes sense. Tell me if I'm wrong. You two went to high school together, at least for your senior year. You were the good girl, the naive one, the one all the guys made fun of behind your back because you wouldn't let them near you. And then, of course, there was the dare. Eric, being the captain of the football team and the head honcho, got a dare to get your virginity before graduation. And you, being the sweet, Christian girl, refused all the way up to the end. Now he's just miffed because he didn't get laid, and the only way he's going to save himself from that embarrassing failure is to get it on with you now, even though high school's been over for awhile. Of course, you aren't the kind of girl to do that, so it's never going to work, so he's just going to keep harassing you until you give him what he wants."

He opened one eye and looked at her to see her face tight.

"McCarthy, you really are a jerk," she said angrily, getting up and moving away from the bleachers.

"Kay! Come on, Freckles, wait a minute!" he said in exasperation, clambering to his feet and following her out of the basketball court.

"Do you seriously not care about how other people feel?" Kayla asked as she made her way up a ramp to the second floor. "Do people's feelings mean nothing to you?"

"You know what you thought about fighters? Well, it's true!" Ryan bit out, chasing after her. "We're arrogant and big-headed!"

"That's not an excuse!" she shouted back, much to his surprise. "I've met fighters who weren't! You're just the exception and you're using it as a crutch!"

She swung a door open and then stormed into a room.

"What are you following me for?" she asked with a sigh as Ryan followed her in.

"I'm afraid my wording was a bit wrong."

"A bit wrong?" she asked, flipping a light switch on.

"Well, I suppose. I mean..."

He trailed off, his eyes widening as the room finished lighting up. He was standing in what must have been the Iron Tiger's personal training room. Everything in the room was blue and silver, and there glass cases filled with trophies, medals, photographs, newspaper clippings, and a pair of boxing gloves. In the center of the room was a training ring, with the mats and ropes still perfectly in tact. In one corner of the room was a punching bag suspended from the ceiling, and one whole wall was nothing but windows looking out onto the Miami Beach. The whole room was spotless, perfectly clean and expertly preserved.

"My father wasn't arrogant, nor was he big-headed," Kayla said, sitting down in a comfortable silver swivel chair. "He trained professionals, and he was never prideful about it. Most of the pictures in those glass cases are of his students, not of him."

"What happened to him? Why did he stop training?" Ryan asked, already forgetting that he had offended her and going from one glass case to the next like some starry-eyed child on Christmas morning.

"His perfect fan died."

"Perfect fan?" Ryan frowned, turning to look at her.

"My mother," Kayla said quietly, turning the chair so she could look out the window. "She died from breast cancer six years ago."

"So your dad just gave up?" Ryan questioned.

"I guess so," Kayla murmured, sounding far away. "He couldn't handle her death, so he took to drinking. He became an alcoholic. The day I lost my mother, I also lost my father. He stopped fighting, stopped training. He put up the gloves and surrendered. He gave up on everything, including me. But I didn't give up on him," she said, drawing in a deep breath. "And I'm never going to. This room is still here for when he wants it back. And if he ever needs me, I will be here too. I haven't given up."

"Is it worth it?" Ryan asked, running his hand along one of the ring ropes.

"What?" she asked, roused out of her deep thoughts. "Is what worth it?"

"All of your hope for him? Wouldn't it just be easier to give up on him, since he gave up on you?"

"I never give up on people, Ry. Because just when you want to give up on them the most, that's when they need you the most. They've already given up on themselves. The last thing they need is for someone else to do it too."

"Is that why you don't just shove insults in Eric's face and get rid of him for good?" Ryan chuckled.

"I have tried to 'get rid' of Eric. He won't leave," Kayla sighed, getting up from the chair. "You, however, may be worth being there for."

"Oh really?" Ryan grinned, puffing his chest out extravagantly. "How so?"

"You might just be a good person. You're too busy hiding that to acknowledge it, however."

"I hide it?" he laughed. "How so?"

"You try so hard for your bad boy image that you never consider that perhaps people would find you more likeable if you were just nice. That just never passed through your mind, did it?" Kayla smiled, moving to the door and turning off the lights. "Come on."

She led him back down to the basketball game, after closing and locking the door behind her. The game was getting quite heated, and Ryan let himself focus on the game, preferring not to think about the things she had said about him. He _knew _he was a good person, but perhaps that really was hidden by his attempts to appear strong and arrogant. And how was it that Kayla, someone who was pretty much a complete stranger, could see through the mask he so carefully held up?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: The Idiocy of Your Actions

Ryan's prediction of his fight with Eric was more accurate than he had thought it would be. When he arrived at _The Vegas _the following night, Eric was already as intoxicated as he could get. He could barely announce his own fight, and when he and Ryan entered the fight ring, Eric stumbled around, cheering himself on and making everyone laugh at his drunkenness. Everyone, that is, except for Ryan. Ryan didn't find this amusing at all. He had been asked to fight, and as far as he was concerned, his rival had gotten this drunk on purpose, to make a fool out of him.

That angered Ryan, far more than when Jake had walked out on a fight from him years ago. Jake had at least had the class to finish the fight out in a parking lot, but Eric could barely walk, never mind fight. He wasn't even worth Ryan's time, and that infuriated Ryan to no end. He canceled the fight before it had even started, cursing as he slipped out between the ropes and pulled his shirt back on. Let Eric keep his $3,000.00. It wasn't worth looking stupid over.

The only consolation of the whole evening was that Ryan found himself a girl to bring home for the night. Joanna Grey was tall, blonde, and pretty, and she hooked herself up with Ryan as soon as he was out of the ring. He was angry enough to hurt someone, but she smiled prettily at him and then escorted him out of the hotel. She went right along with him to his car and was more than happy to go with him into his apartment. Truth be told, he barely noticed she was tagging along, even though she was chattering like a monkey, for his pride had been mocked and he was infuriated. Once the lights were out, however, and he was in his room for the evening, he was quite glad she was there because he could concentrate his aggression on someone who wouldn't fight back and on an activity that was considerably more pleasurable than fighting was.

A one night stand, of course, wouldn't solve the deeper problem, and while it distracted Ryan from thinking about the fight for the rest of the evening, his anger came right back the next morning when he woke up. Joanna did all she could to get his attention again, and it was a pity none of her advances worked for she certainly tried. She made Ryan breakfast and then insisted that they go to the mall for the day, because it was, after all, a Saturday, and there would be plenty of good shopping and her friends would be there.

Ryan didn't like the mall, but she had given him a few hours of her time, so the least he could do was deal with some female he didn't know going shopping. So long as she didn't ask for his money, he would do his best not to complain.

The mall, to his chagrin, was packed with shoppers, and that did nothing to help with his anger. Everyone seemed fairly intent on reminding him that he hadn't fought last night, and it was all he could do not to start a fight right there in the middle of the mall. He didn't know how, but he managed to find himself leaning against the wall to one of the stores, his arms folded across his chest, waiting for Joanna to finish her shopping as other college students walked past him, getting the obvious hint that he didn't want to talk about last night. He caught sight of a familiar form making her way through the crowds, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Kayla somehow always managed to at least get a chuckle out of him, and he was going to wave to her, to get her attention, when Joanna stepped back out of the store, talking excitedly about some new sundress she'd found. He didn't want to hear her nonstop talking, so he put his hands to her shoulders and then drew her flush against him before he pressed his lips to hers.

It was almost embarrassing how she responded, delving fully into that kiss, but Ryan didn't care. His anger was still too fresh and hot for him to care about much else. He let her run her hands across his chest as she purred contentedly, but all he really wanted to do was talk to Kayla and tell her all his troubles, since she'd probably have something helpful to say. He didn't even bother closing his eyes into the kiss as he moved his mouth with Joanna's, and he glanced to the side to see Kayla standing there, her eyes wide and a delightful blush on her cheeks. His eyes caught hers, and she shook her head and looked away before hurrying off, disappearing into the crowds.

Well what was that for? Rather rude of her just to stare and then disappear like that. Who did she think she was, to see a friend and not at least wave in greeting?

Ryan scowled and pulled Joanna away from him. Some of her friends suddenly appeared, and she trotted off with them, giving Ryan the freedom to go off on his own. He bid his farewells to Joanna, thanking her for the previous night, and then he began his hunt for Kayla. He was beyond furious that she should just ignore him. Poor Kayla didn't realize it, but she was about to be the victim of a whirlwind of rage and humiliation.

He kept catching glimpses of her here and there, but she constantly alluded him, and had he thought about it, he might have seen the wisdom of that. There was a stalk in his step and a fury that no one wanted to be anywhere near, and Kayla wasn't stupid.

When he caught up to her, it was half an hour later in Abercrombie&Fitch. He was somewhat surprised to find her in this particular store, but when he realized that she was standing by the discount shelf, it made more sense. Not that it really mattered, of course. Her shopping habits were none of his business. He was only here to demand that she tell him why she had been avoiding him for part of the afternoon. He had hidden his anger as well as he could through the whole day so far, and someone needed to be the brunt of a huge self-pity, how-dare-they attack.

Kayla's back was turned towards him, in a somewhat darker section of the store, so he startled her when he came up behind her and cleared his throat. She turned slightly and smiled weakly, not making eye contact with him as she stood before him. Ah, so she _knew _she had done something wrong. She had that look of shame and guilt on her face that Ryan had hoped to see.

"Hello," he greeted, smirking unpleasantly. "Enjoying yourself, Kayla?"

"More or less," she nodded, looking up into his face. "It seems you are as well."

"I would have enjoyed myself more if you hadn't been avoiding me," he said coldly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was I supposed to interrupt that little interaction you had a few minutes ago?" Kayla feigned shock, not at all liking his tone of voice or his body language. "I'm sorry if you're having a bad day, Ryan, but I don't want to have any part in that. That's why I've been staying away. I could tell you are in a bad mood."

"And you're a terrible liar," he said coolly, taking a step closer to her.

"Excuse me?" she asked, an eyebrow arched.

"You weren't avoiding me because I'm angry," he said, getting close enough so that she was pressed back against the shelves of jeans.

"Oh I wasn't?" she asked, extremely uncomfortable as he put one hand down on either side of her, hedging her in.

"No. You were jealous, just upset that you couldn't get some of what Joanna was getting," Ryan said harshly, his eyes burning into hers.

"Ryan, you are really angry and, quite possibly, a bit drunk. I'm not going to argue with you. I wasn't jealous, but I was a bit shocked and a bit hurt, I admit," Kayla said as gently as she could. "Why I was hurt, I don't know. Please move so that I can finish my shopping. I have to get back home."

His hand found her chin and tilted her face up so that she was looking into his eyes again. Her hazel eyes were wide even as his blue orbs were angry and demanding.

"Freckles," he almost sang, moving his face closer to hers. "You had no need to be jealous. Let me help you feel a bit better."

She opened her mouth to object, but before a sound could come out, his mouth was pressed firmly against hers in an intense kiss. She squealed, putting her hands to his chest to push him away even as he continued to caress her lips with his and then showed his intentions of deepening the kiss by taking her lower lip in his mouth and biting lightly.

She gave him a good, solid push, shoving him away, and then gasped for air, her face paling and her body shaking as she grabbed her purse, which she had dropped, and then took off at a sprint out of the store. He watched her go, breathing deeply as an unfamiliar feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach. Was that feeling...shame? Was what he had just done shameful? Well, one thing was certain. That was the most pleasant kiss, even if it was one-sided, that he could remember ever having. She had such a soft mouth and such a sweet taste.

Whatever, though. She didn't want him. That much was obvious, and he wasn't willing to fight with her about it. The weather was beautiful on this lovely Saturday, and Ryan had no desire to spend the rest of the day in the mall. He hurried out of the building to his car and then took off for home.

Whatever anger Ryan had leftover from the previous night disappeared as he swam beneath the gentle waves that afternoon, letting them roll over him and wash his frustration away. His mind drifted to Kayla as the hours passed, and he found that he couldn't erase her from his thoughts. She was a complete mystery to him, a puzzle to be solved. He let his mind linger on this, and he was surprised, when he swam out of the waves and walked up onto the shore, at just how long he had spent in thought, for the sun was almost down now, and stars were already dotting the dimming sky. He made his way to where he had left his towel and then scooped up the fabric and dabbed at his chest and then his face with it.

He didn't know when or how he managed to do it, but when Ryan next looked up, Eric was standing a few feet in front of him, followed by a large group of clubbers.

"You certainly know how to be quiet when you want to be," Ryan commented, hanging his towel over his arm. "What can I do for you?"

"We want a rematch!" one of the girls shouted, and her cry was echoed by several others.

"A rematch? A rematch of what?" Ryan scowled. "There was no fight last night for there to be a rematch. You were so stoned last night that I didn't even bother starting the fight. Good job keeping your daddy's money, big boy, but I'm not interested in another go," he said with a smirk before turning away from the crowd.

He wasn't surprised when Eric grabbed his shoulder and swung him back around, and he was even prepared when Eric swung a fist at his face. Fine! If Eric wanted to have it out here on this beach, then fine! Ryan was still mad about last night, and there was no time like now to make up for it. He met Eric's swing with one of his own, but unlike Eric, his punch actually made contact, getting Eric squarely in the jaw. Eric snarled, and his followers spread out, making a large ring around Ryan and Eric before both men charged at each other like raging bulls.

Sand went flying out from beneath their feet as they scuffled, neither wearing practice gloves and neither caring. Eric was a hard hitter, and he rarely missed, despite how much Ryan dodged and slid, trying to evade his fast-flying fists. Eric also knew quite well, from Ryan's fight with Chance, that his opponent had some cracked ribs, and he made good use of that knowledge. He punched Ryan enough in the ribs to where Ryan's whole ribcage was numb, but still, Ryan kept fighting. He wrapped an arm around Eric's neck and pounded his fist full force into Eric's chest, but Eric slid out of his hold and knocked his legs out from under him, making him fall back into the sand.

Ryan had terribly underestimated Eric's skills, a fault that he was now paying the price for. He couldn't find a way to get up out of the sand, and rather than trying to protect his face, as perhaps he should have been doing, he was flinging punches left and right, occasionally making contact with Eric's face but, more often than not, getting a mouthful of sand and a violent punch for his efforts. He didn't notice the sand becoming scarlet from his blood, nor did he pay any attention to the deep shades of purple and green that his chest was fast becoming. Knowing when to stop had never been one of Ryan's strong points, and it wasn't one of Eric's either. Ryan had no desire to surrender. Give up to his main enemy? Never! Forget it! He'd sooner black out than be caught dead surrendering.

He wouldn't admit it, but he was quite close to blacking out. His vision was blurring with every passing punch, and a feeling of nausea was forming in his stomach. If he could have thrown up, he would have, but his body didn't have the strength to do it, and it was already too occupied with trying to stay alive and coughing up the blood and sand from his throat. He didn't hear some of the girls shouting to Eric to pull away, to stop. His eyes flickered shut even as someone shoved through the crowds and made a beeline for him.

"Help me get him off! Get him off before he kills him!" someone was shouting, and Ryan wasn't aware of Eric being pulled away from him, still punching. Someone reached down and grabbed Ryan by the arms before dragging him to his feet.

Ryan groaned and turned his head to the side, throwing up as his rescuer dragged him away from the fight and pulled him towards his apartment.

"Ryan, dude, I'm not going to be able to carry you up the stairs. You've got to help me," Red's voice drifted in and out of Ryan's consciousness.

Somehow, and Red was pretty sure it was a miracle, he got Ryan up into his apartment and then helped him lay on the couch in a large living room. Red had never been in this apartment before, but he made himself at home finding equipment in the kitchen, in the bathroom, and in Ryan's bedroom to help the now-unconscious man with his wounds.

"You're really stupid sometimes, McCarthy. Hate to say it, but you are," Red sighed, wiping at the blood on Ryan's face and chest. "Kay's right. You need to learn when to pick your fights and when to stay out of them."

He finished cleaning Ryan up and then put his supplies away and turned on the TV. May as well wait until "The Terror" woke up. He was going to need more help as soon as he was able to think and, even worse, _feel _again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi people! Okay, so I have two challenges for you! Let's see how well you do...**

**#1: Review, review, review! Please! :) People often look at how many reviews a story has before they'll read it, and the more reviews I have the more they'll read! And I can definitely use the encouragement.**

**#2: This one's a writing challenge. I have decided that Ryan's theme song is "Secrets" by One Republic. See if you can think up a songfic for Ryan with that song. You also have permission to use Kayla if you would like. I would LOVE to see what you can come up with! Let your creativity loose!**

**Thanks so much!**

**Code Green**

**Chapter Eight: Secrets Away**

Ryan came to fifteen minutes later, and just as Red had thought, he was in some intense pain. He woke up with a moan and then moved to sit up, but Red put a hand on his shoulder.

"You aren't moving anywhere, man," Red grinned. "What do you need, other than some good painkiller?"

"Red, what are you doing here?" Ryan groaned, falling back onto the couch and putting an arm over his eyes as though trying to ward off his throbbing headache. "Where did you come from?"

"I was on the beach, though quite a distance away from you, when I heard that there was a fight. Somebody mentioned your name, and I came as quickly as I could to make sure you were okay. Friends do that for each other, you know," Red frowned with concern. "What I found was Eric pounding you into the sand, nearly making a grave for you, and with a little help, I got you away from him. I've tried to clean you up a bit since then, but I'm afraid you're going to need a whole lot more ice than what's in your freezer for some of those bruises."

"I think...I need some Benadryl, or some Tylenol, anything to relieve this headache," Ryan sighed.

"You know, I honestly don't know why I'm doing any of this for you," Red said easily, getting off the edge of the couch and moving towards the kitchen. "What with the way you treated Kay today..."

"I figured she would have told you," Ryan frowned, closing his eyes tightly as his head ached.

"I just don't understand how you could do such a thing to her," Red said from the kitchen, pouring a glass of water. "She's the sweetest woman I know, and she already has a tough time of it with being a single mother. And then you have to go and lay one on her for absolutely no reason."

"Wait a minute," Ryan said, opening his eyes and sitting up abruptly, though it hurt like crazy.

"What?" Red asked, walking into the living room with a glass of water and several pills. "Hey, you shouldn't be sitting up," he frowned, handing Ryan the water and pills.

"Kay's a...mother?" Ryan asked, his eyes wide.

"Did I say that? Oh dang," Red sighed, sitting on the edge of the couch again. "She's going to kill me."

"Really? So she _has _gotten laid before. And not only has she done it, but she did it wrong," Ryan smirked, chugging down the pills.

"Now hold on a second," Red frowned.

"Let me guess. Eric did manage to win her over, so if she's a mother, then the kid is his."

"McCarthy just shut up for a minute and listen," Red sighed. "First off, she never slept with Eric, so give her more credit than that. She has better taste in men. Now that I've gone ahead and busted her top secret, I may as well explain it all, so you don't have the wrong impression of her, especially because she's on her way here."

"What? Why?" Ryan growled.

"I need her to make sure you don't have a hospital visit coming up," Red said. "Your bruises on your chest look really bad. I don't need you internally bleeding to death. Now just be quiet for a minute and listen. When Kay was fifteen, her mom died of cancer. She probably told you that."

"And her dad went to being an alcoholic to rid himself of the pain," Ryan nodded. "I heard that story."  
"What you didn't hear was about Stephen, Eugene Fisher's top fighter. He could fight like no one I've ever seen. I'd say you're as good as he is, but he was smarter and knew when to stop fighting and call it quits," Red grinned. "He was also Kay's best friend. She used to go to every fight with him and her dad. When her dad became an alcoholic, he was verbally abusive to Kay, and one day, she just couldn't handle it anymore. Stephen was at a fight in town, so sixteen-year-old Kay went to the fight. She was a complete mess, and she waited for him in the locker room. He went back there after the fight, and she broke down, just a sobbing mess. She needed comfort, and she wanted it from him. So they...did it, there in the back locker room. Took about four minutes, and she came out of there pregnant. And before you go bashing anyone for doing it wrong, she _wanted _to get pregnant, Ryan. No one cared about her anymore, so she wanted someone that she could focus her attentions on. In those four minutes, she got what she wanted."

"It's no wonder she doesn't get laid these days. Everyone's terrified she's going to get pregnant on them," Ryan snorted.

"Ryan, just shut up!" Red snapped. "After that, Stephen did what he could to support her, but he was just a senior in high school, so he ended up leaving town. She went to the hospital _by herself_ and had that baby. She is the best mother I have ever seen, and I've seen lots. So don't you go bad-mouthing her. I swear, if you say anything bad about her, I will hurt you, and that wouldn't be too hard to do with your condition."

"So who's the kid?" Ryan asked. "I don't recall seeing any cute little blondes running around the gym."

"Her son looks nothing like her. He got his daddy's looks," Red said gently. "The birthday boy, Nick."

"That adorable kid is hers?"

"Yes, and he means the world to her. She's more proud of him than anything else. The only reason she doesn't talk about it is because she is afraid someone will get that information who would use it to hurt her or her father or even Stephen. He still fights professionally," Red said.

"Four minutes isn't even enough time to really get started," Ryan frowned, stretching out. "Poor girl had no idea how much fun all that could be. I must have terrorized her when I kissed her earlier."

"Probably so. We'll see in a minute," Red shrugged. "And don't go telling anyone what I just said. Kay's good reputation is one of the only things she has left to hold on to."

There was a knock on the door, and Red got off the couch and opened it.

Kayla had, as was evidenced by her pajamas, had been getting ready for bed when he called her, or had at least been getting comfortable for the night. She was dressed in loose pajama pants, a tank top with a thin open shirt over it, and her hair was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail.

"Sorry. I was just watching a movie," she apologized to her friend, giving him a couple of bags of ice before he led her to where Ryan sat waiting.

Ryan could tell she wasn't comfortable here, just from the stiffness in her body as she sat down next to him on the couch and the way she avoided making eye contact, but she pushed aside her own discomfort, as surely she must have learned to do as a mother, and then turned on a side lamp so she could get a better look at his body.

"Ouch, Ryan," she breathed, shaking her head. "I'm glad I brought so much ice. I'm going to have to touch you, and it's going to hurt, but I need to make sure that none of those broken ribs have punctured anything important. I tend to think you would be in a lot more pain and would be asking to go to the hospital if something was seriously injured, however."

Carefully, she moved her hands to his chest and let her fingertips trace along his sides. Her touch was as light as she could make it, but Ryan still hissed and winced as she felt along his ribs. Really, this whole situation was most embarrassing for her, and he realized that she probably hadn't ever touched a guy's chest before. Not if she only had four minutes with Stephen...

He looked at her with new eyes even as she worked, touching his sides lightly and then moving her fingers to his face, feeling beneath his eyes to make certain that neither of his cheekbones had been broken. She moved her hands around his head, searching for bumps or unnatural grooves, and she let out a sigh of relief when she found none.

"You are one lucky guy, Ryan," she said, sitting back and taking one of the packs of ice from Red. "Stupid, but lucky."

"I've been called that several times lately," he chuckled lightly and then let out a cry when she put ice on his chest.

"Maybe you should start thinking about that," she said quietly, no doubt her mind still on his actions from the morning.

"You're really good at this," Ryan hissed between clenched teeth. "Did Stephen break a lot of bones around you?"

She sat up stiffly and abruptly, and her hazel eyes moved from him to Red before turning back to Ryan.

"Stephen," she said shortly, her face tight, "didn't fight for any given reason. He only fought competitively, not because he always had to be the best. You'll excuse me, but I need to be getting home now. Keep ice on those bruises. Red, I am sure you will see to it that he stays there," Kayla said, getting off the couch and turning her back to Ryan.

She then left the apartment without another word, closing the door quietly behind her as she went outside.

"Man, what was that for?" Red demanded once she was gone. "Do you enjoy hurting her?"

"I want to know what man she thought was valuable enough to give herself away to in only four minutes," Ryan said, lying back down on the couch with his ice and closing his eyes.

"Someone a whole lot more respectful and compassionate than you are."

"Oh, so taking a girl against a locker room wall for not even five minutes is compassionate?" Ryan snarled. "And don't give me a bunch of nonsense about how his adrenaline was still going or how desperate and upset she was. No guy should take advantage of a girl like that, no matter how much they like each other."  
"You're one to talk, McCarthy," Red scowled. "You have a new girl every night."

"That's not true. Look into the facts before you accuse me, Red," Ryan quipped.

"Look into the facts before you accuse anyone else, McCarthy," Red snapped back. "Now go back to sleep. I'm not leaving you tonight, but only because Kayla requested I look after you. If it weren't for that, I'd be gone."

"Look, I'm sorry Red, alright? I don't mean to always hurt her. I just...I don't understand."

"Then don't talk about it," Red sighed. "If you don't understand, then why bring it up? I shouldn't even have told you anything. She's probably more upset with me right now than she is at you. Is there someplace special you keep your spare pillows and stuff? If I'm bedding down on the floor I would at least like to be comfortable."

Ryan did not sleep well that night, to be sure, for his cracked ribs wouldn't allow him to stay in one comfortable position, and his bruises were extremely tender. Red stayed all night and then left in the morning, wanting to get to church, which left Ryan to stretch out on the couch and watch television for the rest of the day.

It was boring. Even with the huge-screen television, the surround system, the Blue Ray player, and the multiple Nintendo sets, there were so many things Ryan had rather been doing than loafing around on the couch. By the time lunch rolled around, he was bored out of his mind, and he debated getting up and moving to the kitchen to get something to eat when there was a knock on the door.

"If it's Eric, go away!" he called and then listened as the door opened and a voice called to him.

"Ryan, it's Kayla. I brought lunch. Can I come in?"

"Sure. Come on in," Ryan answered, settling back on the couch.

He watched as Kayla entered the room, a carton of fried chicken in her hands. Nick was following behind her with a couple of containers of mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese, and his eyes widened as he looked at the bruises on Ryan's chest.

"Wow! That looks painful!" he exclaimed, and Ryan chuckled as Kayla put everything down on his glass coffee table.

"That's why I don't want you going into fighting," Kayla smiled, opening up the containers. "I didn't know what you wanted, Ryan, so I figured we'd get some good old KFC for lunch and share it with you."

"Sounds good," Ryan nodded.

"And I brought 'Treasure Planet.' I hope you don't mind," Nick added.

"I haven't seen it in forever. Go ahead and put it in," Ryan said, gesturing to the television set. "See if you can figure it out."

Nick scampered over to the TV and began to mess around with it, giving Ryan a good look at the kid. He had his mother's freckles and her smile, but that was about it.

"He's really cute," Ryan commented quietly as Nick figured out how to turn the set on.

"Thanks," Kayla smiled slightly, pulling a few paper plates apart. "He wanted to come over. I originally refused, but..."

"Of course you did. I'm a jerk, as everyone says," Ryan shrugged, sitting up slightly as she handed him a plate of food. "I'll try and behave myself for his sake, though," he winked. "And you could trust me a little more, as far as that's concerned. I know your secret now."

"So I noticed," Kayla nodded as Nick came and sat next to her.

There was something about Kayla. Ryan was thoroughly distracted by her as they ate and then watched the movie. She wasn't any older than he was, and yet here she was, the manager of a huge gym and the mother of a six-year-old, somehow managing to live her life as a normal person to the best of her abilities. It made her attractive, and Ryan was almost ashamed of himself to find himself looking over her again, admiring her form and her pretty face. She wasn't fake, like the other women. That's why he hadn't really noticed her before. Her beauty was true and came from deep inside, and that made her all the more attractive, surpassing all the other girls in beauty.

She was a challenge because she couldn't be swayed, and an interesting project, because she knew nothing about the real pleasures to be found in romance. It was something that Ryan wasn't at all going to mind teaching her, a challenge that he wasn't at all dreading overcoming. And he would overcome it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:Trying Again**

Monday found Ryan in the college library, hoping to find a quiet place to study, since every time he went home, the beach distracted him and he found himself forgetting about studying in exchange for a whole afternoon of surfing and swimming. Oh, and checking out all the girls. There were just too many distractions, but the library was always quiet and he could find some nice sofa to sit down in and just lose himself in his text books for awhile.

He walked past a few book shelves and caught sight of a familiar person sitting in a couch at the end of the row of shelves, her face hidden in her Algebra book, as usual. Of course, today she was dressed in shorts, and with the way her legs were stretched out across the couch and her feet were up on the arm rest, he had a good look at her long legs, for her shorts were pulled up a bit more than usual and she was giving him a delectable view. May as well enjoy it, he smirked to himself as he walked past the bookshelves and then walked past them again, this time very slowly, taking his time to appreciate the view before him.

He moved over to her a few seconds later and then looked over her shoulder, wondering what it would take to get her attention, but Kayla had a headset on and must have been fully engrossed in her studying, for she never noticed he was there. Fine then, he would have to get her attention some other way. He moved over to her legs and picked them up off the couch, throwing her off balance, before he sat down where her legs had been and then put her legs down into his lap. He then opened his history book and studied, humming to himself as though nothing had happened.

Kayla honestly hadn't known that he was there, and she pushed her loose hair out of her eyes and tried to right herself from when he had thrown her off balance. That meant squirming around a bit, and she blushed a bright red as her legs moved over him and she somehow managed to sit up. Her Algebra book fell out of her hands and onto the floor in the process, and she moved to get her legs out of Ryan's lap, so she could get her book, but he put a hand across her legs, preventing her from sliding away from him.

"Ryan," she sighed, taking her headset off and turning off her MP3 player. "Do you mind?"

"Nope. I don't mind at all," he grinned, letting his fingertips trace across her legs, making her jump.

"I need to get my book!"

"You can get it from here. I know you're more flexible than you let on," Ryan said casually, returning to his reading.

"Let go of my legs."

"Nope. I like them right here."

Kayla groaned and twisted her body so that she could stretch out for her book. She nearly fell off the couch as she reached for the book, and she let out a gasp when she finally grabbed it and then scrambled to get back onto the couch before she fell onto her stomach on the floor.

"Ryan, would you please let go? You can have the couch. Just let me go study someplace else."

"I'm comfortable," Ryan shrugged, looking over the rim of his book at her, his eyes dancing. "You're just fine where you are."

"You know," she said easily, "my feet are in an amazing position to give you one good hard kick someplace that Eric _didn't_ manage to hurt you."

"Ooh. Naughty, naughty," Ryan chuckled. "I can't have that happening."

He wrapped one arm around her thighs and then pulled her over so that now she was sitting in his lap, about as red as she could be.

"Ryan!" she hissed. "Somebody's going to walk by any minute now and see this. Please let me go!"

"What will you give me if I do?"

"I'm supposed to give you something? I was minding my own business, and you came along and started causing trouble!" she exclaimed, and he put a finger to his lips and gave her a good: "Shh. Someone will hear you and you're supposed to be quiet in the library."

"I don't need to give you anything!" she whispered harshly.

"Then I don't need to let you go."

"What do you want? And I refuse to kiss you," she pouted, folding her arms across her chest.

"A date."

"A date?" she sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "What kind of date?"

"One that just involves two people, me and you," Ryan grinned. "And it would have to be tonight."

"Where would we go?" she asked, throwing her arms out in exasperation.

"A carnival. You'd be out in public, and I'd come pick you up at 5:00. Of course, you'd have to tell me your address. And I could get you back home, safe and sound, to Nick by 10:30."

"Five and a half hours of being stuck with you? Really?" she asked, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "However would I survive?"

"Oh, you'd have a good time. What do you say?" Ryan grinned. "I'll let you go if you say yes."  
"I suppose I have no choice, then. Oh very well. I'll go out with you tonight," Kayla sighed, and she squealed when Ryan picked her up and placed her on the cushion next to him.

"I can also help you with your studying," he offered. "You seem to struggle with Math, and I struggle with English, so we could help each other."

"Ha! And you helping me study would truly be productive, wouldn't it?" Kayla laughed. "I don't think so, but thanks."

"You really don't trust me, do you?"

"Give me a reason why I should," she countered, opening her math book up again. "I'm not so blind that I don't know about your late-night flings and what exactly a 'good time' with a girl entails for you, Ryan. And you've already offended me enough. So why should I think that studying with you, or even going on a date with you, is going to be a great time for me?"

"Because you've never been on a date before," he said simply.

"Oh? I haven't?" Kayla asked.

"No. Or am I wrong?"

"You are right," she said quietly, looking at her math book. "But my version of a good time and your version of a good time are completely different. Besides, why do you want to go out with me? I'm a mother, Ryan. There's no beating around that, no matter how much you try."

"I tell you what. Make a list of all your questions, and I'll answer them tonight. For now, I have to study," Ryan grinned, and she laughed and punched him lightly in the shoulder before getting comfortable on the couch again.

Five o'clock rolled around, and Ryan drove up to Kayla's apartment complex. It wasn't right on the beach, as his was, and it was an older housing model, probably from the late 90s, but he could tell that it was well-cared for, and there were flowers hanging from different porches and placed strategically on different railings, giving it a quaint, comfortable feel. A wind chime was singing somewhere nearby, and in the distance, he could hear the waves breaking against the shore. He was about as relaxed as he could be as he made his way into the building and then walked up a flight of stairs towards Kayla's home.

He found her place, number 23A, and then knocked. The door opened, and he glanced down to see Nick standing there with a grin on his little face.

"I need to talk to you, before you take my mom out," the young man stated. "No making her do anything she doesn't want to do, and have her home on time. Okay?"

"Yes sir," Ryan saluted with a grin.

"That's from me, too!" Becky called out. "Come on in, Ryan. Kay's almost ready to go!"

Ryan stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He found himself looking in a small apartment, but it was one of the most comfortable ones he had ever been in. Flowers and wind chimes decorated the ceilings and counters, and all of the windows were open, letting in a fresh breeze. Something Italian was cooking in the oven, making Ryan's mouth water, and he grinned at Becky as she and Nick got comfortable on the floor, playing a game of Checkers on a small coffee table.

A bedroom door opened, and Kayla stepped out, dressed in a t-shirt, jeans, and black Converse, and her long hair was down. She kept pushing it nervously back behind her ear as she spoke, trying to get comfortable with this whole idea of "a date."

"Hello," she greeted Ryan, hurrying into the small kitchenette and pulling a small tray of lasagna out of the oven. "Sorry I'm running a bit behind. I wanted to make something for dinner before we left."

"Take your time. I'm not in a hurry," Ryan smiled, watching as she turned the oven off and then turned to Becky.

"There is soda in the refrigerator, as always, and bedtime, Nick, is at 8:00. You have school tomorrow."

"I can't stay up later, since you're going out?" Nick frowned.

"Well, fine. Eight thirty then, but no later than that," Kayla smiled, moving to him and kissing his forehead before she turned to Ryan. "Are we ready?"

"We are," Ryan nodded, and opened the apartment door for her.

She was absolutely gorgeous tonight, in all her simplicity, and Ryan was beyond pleased that he had managed to convince her to come on a date. It was a huge step for her, he was sure, just to go out with someone, and there wasn't anyone better she could have chosen to go out with, in his humble opinion. Of course, he had blackmailed her into coming, but she wouldn't regret it.

She was fairly quiet as they drove towards the carnival, and then she cleared her throat and spoke as she looked out the window.

"Sorry, Ry. I don't really know what to say."

"That's all right. I've had more than enough women talking my ear off lately. You're just fine."

"You are quite the playboy, aren't you?"

He laughed and rested one arm on the windowsill while he drove with the other.

"Have I touched you this evening or done anything to make you uncomfortable?" he asked.

"No," she sighed. "I'm sorry, I just..."

"Okay, whoa. Stop with all of the 'I'm sorry' stuff. You're just fine. Just relax. I'm not going to bite. Well, I won't unless you want me to. And even if I do, I'll be gentle. You're going out for a good time. That's all. You'll be okay."

Kayla smiled slightly and sat back, a pretty pink blush on her cheeks. Ryan couldn't help but grin at her. She was so innocent, really, she was. She may have done something taboo six years ago, but she really hadn't entirely known what she was doing, and now she was just so sweet and uncertain.

This was going to be fun.

When they got to the carnival, he parked and then the two of them got tickets and went in. Ryan got them some hot dogs and nachos for their dinner and then proceeded to bring Kayla on all the rides, save for the Ferris Wheel. That could wait for later. He then brought her to several of the games, just so he could show off a bit and win her some stuff. He got her to play one of the basketball games, showing her how to throw the basketball appropriately, and when she actually got the ball through the basket on her own, she spun around and threw her arms around him, laughing and jumping up and down.

Ryan had a whole lot more fun with her than he had expected that he would. She may have been innocent, but she sure knew how to have fun, and he was saddened as the hour drew closer to bring her home. The sky was completely dark now, save for the stars ahead and the lights that lit up the carnival grounds, and he brought her to the Ferris Wheel.

Once they were inside and the ride and moving along, Kayla sat back in her seat next to Ryan and let out a contented sigh before she turned to him with a smile.

"Thank you so much for tonight, Ryan. I had a great time," she said happily.

"Hey, the night is still young," he grinned and then yawned, conveniently stretching so that his arm came to rest behind her.

She was stiff at first but then relaxed, going so far as to let her head rest against his shoulder. He wanted to bring her home, wanted to show her some passion that would leave her head spinning, but he knew Kay wasn't like that. She was very different from the others and was putting an amazing amount of trust in him just by resting her head on his shoulder.

Slowly, he moved her hair away from her shoulder and then craned his neck and pressed a kiss to her temple, making her shudder slightly.

"Ry," she spoke softly.

"Shh," he said gently, wrapping his arm more comfortably around her. "I won't hurt you."

She drew in a deep breath and then sat stiffly, and he smiled before he put his fingertips to her chin and turned her face to look at him.

"So beautiful," he whispered before moving his mouth to her neck and kissing her softly. She gasped, her whole body feeling like she was going to try and pull away, but he put a hand through her hair and cupped her cheek reassuringly before moving his lips along her skin. She let her eyes slip shut, shivering and trying to be strong, trying to understand everything that was raging through her. No one had ever made her feel quite this way before, and she put her hands to Ryan's shoulders, suddenly afraid as he moved his mouth to her ear and bit her earlobe gently.

"Ryan," she spoke, ashamed at how strange her voice sounded. "Please stop."

He hummed quietly and pulled back, his eyes gazing steadily into hers, studying her. He didn't say anything, but his gaze made her melt, and she looked away, a gentle breeze rustling her hair back over her shoulder. His gaze made her desire for so many things, made her wish she could go back six years and do things differently, but then she wouldn't have Nick, and Nick was the most important man in her life. She felt wasted, as though she wasn't fit to be touched after what had happened with Stephen, and a lone tear trickled down her cheek as the ride finished and she and Ryan made their way towards his car.

She was quiet on the drive home, and Ryan looked over at her curiously, but she was hiding her face. Occasionally he heard a sniff, and then a hand would go to her face, but she refused to look at him. He parked the Escalade a short distance away from her apartment complex and then put a hand to her shoulder. She turned to look at him, and he could see her mascara dripping down her face. Her lips were trembling, and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Freckles," he crooned, leaning forward and pressing his lips to one of her tears. "It's alright."

"I've done so much wrong," she sniffed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I have to go."

"You were never shown how sweet love can be, were you?" Ryan asked, wrapping his arms around her, and she put her hands to his chest, though whether she was trying to push him away or hold him closer, she couldn't tell. "You're allowed to cry."

She didn't waste a second, but buried her face in his shirt and started sobbing.

"Hey there. I'm sorry you've missed so much," he whispered against her ear. "But I'd be happy to have you just the way you are. Why don't I give Becky a call and tell her you'll be home in the morning, that way Nick won't worry, and then you can come back home with me and just relax?"

She hiccuped slightly and shook her head before raising her eyes to meet his. He was so handsome, so tempting, and she could see that he really desired her. Perhaps the look was mirrored in her own eyes, she didn't know, but it wouldn't be right to go home with him, and she opened her mouth to protest, but he didn't give her much of a chance to say anything, for he moved forward, bracing his arms with one on either side of her, and then pressed his open mouth to hers.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she should have been resisting. This was only their first date, but she was hurting from so many years of being alone, and Ryan knew what he was doing. She couldn't remember what a kiss felt like, but Ryan made it feel so good. He wasn't slow in his motions, but moved his mouth firmly and quickly against hers, and she found her hands moving to his forearms as she returned the affection, her motions timid in comparison to his, but he didn't mind. He leaned in closer to her and deepened his kiss, making her close her eyes and wrap her arms around him.

Before she quite knew it, she was pressed back against her door, Ryan's hands running up and down her arms even as his kisses moved down her neck and then back to her mouth. He was humming contentedly even as she gasped, and when he spoke to her next, his voice was deep and alluring.

"You are intoxicating. Come home with me, Kayla," he breathed, his hot breath making her skin tingle before he took her lower lip into his mouth and sucked on it lightly. "We can call Nick. I want you with me."

"Ryan!" she gasped, closing her eyes tightly. "Isn't that how your dates usually go? I don't want to be another statistic."

That got his attention, and he leaned up on his forearms, his dark blue eyes piercing into her.

"You don't miss anything, do you?"

"Not something that obvious."

He sighed and sat back in his own seat.

"I should probably just let you go," he said, and opened his door. Kayla sighed and bit her lip as she also got out of the car and moved into place next to him, walking towards her apartment complex.

"Ryan, I had a great time tonight. I'm sorry to end it so sharply," she said quietly as they stopped at the entrance to the complex. He opened the door to the building for her, and she turned to him with a smile before she put a hand on his cheek. "Thank you for everything. And I want you to know, Ry, that you are worth so much more than you think you are."

She then leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek before turning and disappearing into the building.


	10. Chapter 10

**Please please review! :)**

**Chapter Ten: A Matter of Trust**

Kayla was somewhat breathless as she stepped into her apartment and closed the door, but she fixed her clothes and pushed her out of her face before she turned to Becky, trying to look as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Becky was stretched across the couch, reading a book, but she glanced up as soon as Kayla stepped inside, and she smiled brightly as her friend moved to join her on the couch.

"Well, good evening!" Becky grinned. "How was your date?"

"It was pretty nice. Nothing extraordinary happened," Kayla shrugged, sitting on the couch next to her. "We went to the carnival and just had a good time."

"Ooh, honey, I know he did!" Becky exclaimed. "And so will everyone else, come tomorrow morning!"

"What?" Kayla frowned, entirely confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Becky grinned, rubbing her neck, "it's fairly obvious what was going on between you two."

Kayla put her hand to her neck, and her eyes widened when she felt how tender part of her skin was. She got off the couch and moved quickly to a mirror, pulling her hair away from her neck as she did so. She gasped when she saw the red mark there, an obvious evidence of exactly how happy Ryan had been getting with her.

"I didn't even feel it!" she exclaimed. "How am I going to hide this?"

"Some good makeup should do it," Becky grinned. "You didn't feel it, huh?"

"No! I mean, how did he even..."

"This coming from a woman who's already been pregnant and given birth before," Becky rolled her eyes. "You two must have been going to town if you didn't feel that."

"I...well..." Kayla stammered, her whole face turning red. "This looks really bad, doesn't it?"

"It would have looked worse if you had called me up and told me that you aren't going to be home tonight. He's a good-looking guy, Kay, but I don't know what his real intentions are. I mean, tonight it was pretty clear what he wanted, but what is he really going for? Why is he so interested in you?"

"I don't' know," Kayla sighed, smoothing her fingers over the skin on her neck. "I wish I wasn't so attracted to him."

"You and your fighters," Becky grinned. "They all have nice bodies, but how many of them have brains?"

"Ryan's smart, Becky, just not when it comes to fights," Kayla sighed. "He sure knew how to get me excited."

"Kay, you are too good for him. You know this, right?" Becky asked, standing up and stretching. "He doesn't deserve you at all. He's just looking for a one-night stand."

"But why would he take me out and spend so much money on me for that? He knows I have a son, Becky, and he's still trying to get my attention. Why?"

"You might want to ask him that," Becky frowned. "I think he's after you because you're gorgeous and he knows about your little history with Eric. You're just something else for him to take that Eric wants."

"I don't know," Kayla sighed. "I think he just needs one good friend."

"I don't think he's looking at you to be his friend," Becky sighed, moving towards the door. "I don't like him."

"I know, and I'm trying to keep that in mind. Maybe I just do have a crush on him because he was my favorite fighter. For now, I need to figure out how to hide this tomorrow," Kayla answered.

"Good luck with that," Becky chuckled. "That's not a little mark. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, Kay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Kayla watched her friend leave and then went into her room and prepared for bed. There could be no mistaking that her heart had pounded like never before when Ryan had kissed her, that she longed to feel that sensation again, but she was also wise and knew that things had gone a bit too far tonight. And Becky had brought up some good points. What did McCarthy really want? Why would any man be interested in a woman who had already been pregnant before and was now a mother?

"Dear God," Kayla prayed quietly as she peeked in on Nick to make certain he was alright and then slid into her bed for the night. "I'm sorry, Lord. I went too far tonight. Please forgive me. And be with Ryan. I don't know what is going on in his mind, but please help him to see how valuable he really is. Thank You, God. Amen."

Just as Kayla was getting into bed, Ryan was climbing up the stairs to his loft, berating himself for his foolish actions and for how quickly he had made his move tonight. Kayla was right. He _did _have a terrible habit of expecting girls to go home with him on their first night out, just because he considered himself so irresistible. They all knew what to expect when he took them on dates, and he had never had any problems with that. Not until tonight.

Tonight he had been shown one of his greatest flaws, which he had never before considered to be a flaw, and that awakening had hurt. And Kayla had been so gentle about it, as though she _knew _it was going to hurt him. And despite all that, or maybe because of all that, he wanted her more than he had wanted anyone before. She was gentle and kind, something he knew very little about, and she had a glow to her, like she could be happy no matter what happened, even though she, of all people, had less to be happy about than anyone else Ryan knew. Kissing her had been liking kissing sunshine, she was so warm and soft, and it had been hard to stop. She had needed to get his attention the way she did. As it was, she was still on his mind and his body still craved her, and it made him hiss in frustration.

He pulled off his shirt and turned to his punching bag, hanging from one of the rafters. He should have brought his practice gloves up here, too, but he hadn't thought about that and he wasn't going downstairs to get them. His knuckles would just have to suffer. A little bit of pain would be good for him. It'd get his focus off of Kayla...

POW! He slammed his right fist and then his left into the punching bag before he intensified his punches, moving so quickly his hands became a blur. He could feel his knuckles protesting, singing in pain, but he ignored that and let out all his frustration on the punching bag. It had been a little while since he had practiced his fighting techniques, and it felt good to be doing them again. He let out all his frustration on that poor punching bag, and by the time he was finished, his knuckles were covered in blood and he was ready to shower and go to bed.

School dragged the next day, and Ryan didn't catch sight of Kayla in any of his classes. She was probably intentionally staying out of sight, which frustrated him, but he let it go and made his way into the library that early afternoon to get some much-needed studying accomplished. There was an English literature test coming up, which was going to require him to write a paper as well as answer some questions, and English just wasn't his thing. He didn't much care for reading. It wasn't something he liked to do in his spare time.

He opened the book he was reading, a book of plays by someone or another that he hadn't really heard of and who bored him to death, and started reading again. He was engrossed in trying to understand the Old English and didn't notice when Kayla moved to his side and then pulled a seat out next to him. He had chosen to sit at a table today, hoping that having to sit upright would keep him awake, and when the table moved slightly, he shook his head, as though waking up, and turned to see who had disrupted the table.

"Hey," she smiled shyly before opening her Algebra book next to him. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all," he said, watching as she leaned over her book, and...was that a mark on her neck?

"Well now," Ryan grinned, sitting back and watching as her eyes turned to him. "Seems we both had a good time last night. Or did you go to some other guy after our date was over?"

"What? Oh," she blushed, putting her hand to her mark as though trying to hide it. "Yeah, I meant to thank you for this."

"It looks good on you," he chuckled, taking her hand and moving it from her mark. "I can make that better."

"Make it better?" she asked, an eyebrow arched. "Really? How?"

"Just lean a little closer," he answered, and she hesitated, giving him an uncertain look.

"After all we went through last night, you don't trust me?" he asked playfully, feigning shock. "I did stop when you asked, didn't I?"

"The feelings were a bit too heightened," she answered.

"It takes two to tango, Freckles."

She sighed, and then leaned closer to him so that he could get a look at the bite. As soon as she was close enough, he pressed a kiss to the mark, and she pulled back, her eyes wide and her face even more red.

"I tend to think that didn't make it any better," she frowned, looking to her math book again.

"You can't tell me that didn't feel good."

"Listen, I came to see if you wanted help with your English," Kayla sighed. "You had offered to help me with Algebra if I would help you. Well, what do you say?"

"You want to help me study?"

"Yes, if you're still interested," she sighed, somewhat exasperated.

"I didn't scare you off?"

"No. No, you didn't scare me," Kayla said quietly. "Were you hoping to?"

"No. I'm just surprised you're still hanging around me," he shrugged.

"You were my favorite fighter, Ryan. I'm just trying to figure out...if you'll be able to help me with something. If I can _trust _you enough to help me. And yeah, I suppose I was a little shaken by last night, but that doesn't mean I have to stay away from you."

"Oh? What is this amazing task that you need to trust me for?" he asked, closing his book and giving her his undivided attention.

"It's actually really important," she said softly. "It has to do with Arthur."

"What's up? How may I be of service?" Ryan grinned.

"I guess I can start trusting you by asking you not to share this with anyone," Kayla said, her voice dropping to almost a whisper. "Arthur has cancer, Ryan. He's had it for some time now, but he can't afford to do Chemo. We've been trying hard, at 'Ronny's,' to get him the money he needs to get help, but it's extremely expensive. And Ryan, he really needs help." Her eyes started filling with tears, but she wiped them away and continued. "So, I've been thinking and praying for a long time for help to come, and think God's finally answered my prayers. I...want you to fight for us, Ryan. There are some big MMA fights coming up that have really big wins. I can pay for you to get into some of the competitions, and you can keep a percentage of the wins, but most of that money will be going to Art. If you can work your way through every competition, there is a major fight coming up in the beginning of the summer. The wins for that are phenomenal, if we can get you there."

"Eric nearly bashed my head in the other night, Kayla, and you think I'll be able to get to the top? I mean, even if I had the money, I'm a nobody. Those competition people are looking for a good title."

"You have my name, and in that, you have the name of my father. You can't get much higher," Kayla answered. "As for Eric... He doesn't really play fair. I don't want an answer from you now, Ryan. But I would be willing to help you get to the top, if I could just watch you fight a little bit and see where you are in your training."

"I need more training. I can promise you that. I'm still amazed that Eric beat me," Ryan frowned.

"As I said, he doesn't play fair. You will need more training, I am sure, and you will get it."

"That kind of training is expensive."

"It's a good thing I know where to find it, then, isn't it?" Kayla smiled. "For now, will you help me with my Algebra?"

"Where do you want us to study?" Ryan asked, looking at her extended hand. "My house or yours?"  
"Here, every weekday at 2:00. That gives us an hour to study before I have to pick up Nick," Kayla smiled. "Will that work for you?"

"Sure," Ryan nodded, taking her small hand in his and shaking it gently.

She was so pleased, he noticed as she picked up his literature and thumbed through it, and it made him happy to see her so delighted. Literature and English, apparently, was something she greatly enjoyed while it was something he would rather do without. She was also an excellent and patient teacher, he also realized as she began to study with him, making the literature come alive when before it had only seemed like boring letters.

Before Ryan was quite ready for it, their hour together was over, and he snagged her books before she could pick them up and then gathered them together under his arm.

"Ryan?" she sighed, getting up from the table. "Really?"

"I'll walk you to your car," he grinned, putting a hand to her shoulder. "If I'm going to be employed by you, then I may as well start getting to work."

"You've already made your decision?" she asked, her eyes wide. "Have you even thought about it? I won't be able to pay you much. I'll just be able to get you into fights!"

"And provide me with a few dates in between those fights," Ryan grinned.

"I don't believe I agreed to this."

"Then you aren't getting your books back," Ryan shrugged.

"You are impossible!" she sighed in exasperation. "Ryan, what do you want from me? I'm nothing special. I'm no one that you would want!"

"I want you to know, Freckles, that you are worth so much more than you think you are," he repeated her own words with a smirk and then led her out of the library.

He was somewhat surprised to find Eric in the parking garage, leaning against his truck and talking to a few girls, and the two men exchanged haughty glances as Ryan escorted Kayla to her car. He wrapped an arm around her and drew her close as they passed by Eric, and he was surprised, and not a little pleased, when she moved closer to him, leaning into him almost and keeping her eyes downcast as they arrived at the car.

"I should bring you to your car more often," he murmured to her, bringing her to a stop by her car door.

"You know my car. I'm impressed," she smiled.

"I know. I'm so wonderful that way," he chuckled and then waved to the Escalade next to her car. "I parked next to you this morning. That's the only way I knew it was your car. Would you mind terribly if I walked you to your car every day? There's something about this parking lot that doesn't feel right."

"You are offering to protect me," she said, surprised as he opened her car door for her.

"Do you mind?"

"No, I've just... I've never really had someone offer to do that," she said, slipping into her seat and then taking the books from him.

"Hey," he said, gently catching her chin and tilting her face up towards his, "I'm not all bad."

She smiled slightly before he closed her door and watched her drive out of the parking garage. His eyes met Eric's again as he got into his own car, and he shot the other man a warning glare before he started his car and then followed Kayla out of the garage.


	11. Chapter 11

**One request: Please send reviews! I thrive and survive off of your reviews! And thanks so much to those of you who are sending them. :) If anyone sends me a review for this chapter, I will personally send you an IM back giving you a hint about the next chapter! So send them on in! And, as always, enjoy!**

**Chapter Eleven: Clich****é**

Ryan tried to remind himself that he wasn't "all bad" as he drove to _The Vegas _that night. After all, he wasn't coming here for a bad reason. If Kayla was going to potentially "hire" him, then he needed to work on his fighting and he needed to feel as though he was valuable enough to fight for her. It was strange, but ever since meeting her, he no longer felt like he was the best fighter out there. It must have been because of her father. No one could ever overcome Eugene Fisher in a fight. Not the Iron Tiger of Tampa. Eric's win had all been a case of luck and peer influence, but things wouldn't work out that way tonight. Eric wasn't prepared for Ryan McCarthy to fight in his little ring again.

The music was pounding, making his heart pick up its tempo as he slipped through the casino of _The Vegas_ and then into the dance club. It seemed he had arrived just in time, for the evening's fights had just been announced and men were lining up to sign in. He moved through the crowds, ignoring all of the bodies pressing against him as he made he way to the table to sign up for the fights. He looked at the list of names already there, only three, and then wrote down his name as well.

He was one of the first ones in the ring, minutes later. Tonight was all about business. No showing off as he took off his shirt and tossed it to the side, looking at his rival, who didn't look like he would be much of an opponent. The man was a good deal thinner than Ryan, having less muscle mass, and he was drunk, which must have been the only reason why he had decided to fight. He jogged in place for a moment, stretching his neck and shoulders and then moving forward when the referee called for the match.

In the back of his mind, as he moved, he reminded himself to take it easy, to try _not _to send everyone he fought to the emergency room. All of these guys didn't know how to fight; they were just doing it to impress their girlfriends or their peers. Ryan was a regular killing machine, if he wanted to be, and these guys didn't deserve any of his anger. They were just practice and that was all.

He moved from one opponent to another with little effort, taking care not to seriously hurt anyone, which was new for him. He met little opposition, if any, from the other men, and he was feeling quite pleased with himself when he was the last one standing in the ring. Of course, Eric had been watching these matches with quiet curiosity from over the rim of his beer bottle, and he couldn't just stand to see his father's $3,000.00 being given so easily to his rival.

Ryan wasn't at all surprised when Eric entered the ring. He had rather hoped to face him tonight, for he was in a good mood and felt like he was better than ever. He had barely broken out a sweat yet, and his blood was heating in his veins as energy soared through him.

_Come on_, he thought to himself as Eric pulled his shirt off. _Bring it on._

Eric had every intention of doing so. He made no little show of himself as he paraded around the ring, getting cheers from his onlookers, and then turned to Ryan with a smile that was nothing short of challenging. Ryan didn't meet that look with his own smirk, but waited patiently, maintaining his calm as the referee called out the rules once more and then shouted for the fight to begin.

They weren't on the sand with peer pressure this time. Ryan _owned _this ring. He circled about the small space even as Eric moved, both looking for an opening and both keeping the other in front of him. Eric was the first to step forward, moving quickly and swinging a hard punch at Ryan's head, but Ryan was ready and fell back before the blow could reach him. He then dodged low and pressed forward, slamming his fist against Eric's abdomen before he spun around, evading another punch.

Eric's senses were all perfectly tuned tonight, with no alcohol clogging his thinking, and he was fast. He had in memory that Ryan had several cracked ribs, and it was for those ribs that he began to aim. Ryan wanted to get Eric down onto the mat, nearly helpless on his back, but Eric was too good for that and moved with matched strength to avoid Ryan's blows and to escape from being knocked down. Ryan snarled when Eric's fist found his nose, nearly breaking it, and he attacked with rigor, slamming one punch into Eric's fist and another one into the man's chest. Eric barely stumbled back before he started raining punches, but Ryan blocked them efficiently and then spun around Eric and kicked out, catching the man in the back of his knee. Eric hissed in pain and turned around to block, his leg nearly buckling out beneath him.

Ahh. So that's where Eric had a weakness, was it? Ryan grinned in satisfaction. That just happened to be his favorite place to attack... He spun around, avoiding a kick to the chest and bringing him to a stand behind Eric. Before Eric could turn, Ryan slammed the top of his foot into the back of Eric's knee, and this time, the man went to his knees.

The next few minutes became a blur as both men fought with everything they were worth, one of them unable to get to his feet and the other towering over him. Ryan never took it into account that Eric had, quite possibly, just had a recent injury and that was why he wasn't as strong as usual. No, Ryan believed that he was simply better than Eric was, and he made sure to demonstrate this with every swing of his fist.

Their onlookers had a great deal of difficulty figuring out what was going on, for fists were flying nonstop, accompanied by snarls and growls, and before the fight could officially be called over, bouncers and the referee were bounding into the ring. Two of them grabbed Ryan, which, unfortunately, left one of them with a black eye, and two others grabbed Eric and helped him to his feet and out of the ring even as he gave orders to toss Ryan out and not let him back in again.

Ryan didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it on as he made his way out of the club, stumbling along, every step causing pain. Eric had done a number on his cracked ribs, and it made it difficult for him to breathe. He somehow made it into his car and then drove back to his apartment. Once he was there, he went into his bathroom and took a good look in the mirror there.

His face looked like something from a horror flick, what with all the blood that was there, and blood had seeped through his shirt. He had taken quite the bashing, but he was more interested in how Eric looked. During those last few minutes, he hadn't been able to see anything but red. He must have been doing quite the job to have the bouncers pull him out of the ring and then threaten him if he came back. Either that or Eric really was a coward...

He shook his head and then stripped out of his clothes and made his way into the shower, hissing in pain as the hot water made his cuts sting. He tried to ignore the pain, focusing his mind instead on wondering how exactly Eric had fared when the fight had been abruptly ended.

Kayla's eyes were wide as Ryan sat next to her for their study hour in the library the next day.

"You fought Eric again," she stated, her eyes surveying the visible damage.

"Fought and beat," Ryan said easily, opening her math book. "If I'm going to fight for you, I need to know that I can whip a local jerk."

"Remember what I said about knowing when to fight and when to back out?" Kayla sighed. "Fighting Eric isn't a good idea."

"You make him sound so dangerous. I beat him fair and square, Kay," Ryan snorted.

"That's just it. He **doesn't fight fair**," Kayla said firmly. "There have been rumors, ever since high school, that he's responsible for a drug syndicate. The ring isn't his fighting ground. He excels in the streets and on the beaches. All you've succeeded in doing is getting him angry."

"You sound really concerned," Ryan smirked, putting an arm around her and snuggling close.

"He's not concerned about killing people, Ry," Kayla said seriously, looking into his eyes. "He's done it once before; he just was never caught."

"Don't worry about me," Ryan said softly, nuzzling his nose against hers. "I'll be alright."

"We should get to studying," she said, pulling back and clearing her throat.

"Can I take you out tonight?"

"I have work," she answered, shaking her head. "And last time was a little too...intense."

"I promise that I'll behave myself next time."

"I don't have work on Thursday night. You are welcome to come spend the evening with me and Nick," Kayla offered. "We're going to get pizza and a movie."

"'Treasure Planet?'" Ryan chuckled.

"No. I'm getting tired of that one," Kayla smiled.

"I'll bring the movie if you want to get the pizza. And don't worry," Ryan chuckled when she opened her mouth to protest. "It'll be appropriate."

"Okay," Kayla agreed uncertainly. "That sounds good."

"Alright. To studying, then?" Ryan asked, gesturing to the math book.

Thursday afternoon arrived, and Ryan couldn't recall a time when he had been happier, as he made his way up to Kayla's apartment. Eric had looked terrible when he had seen him the other day, obviously having been just as affected, if not more so, by their feat than Ryan had been. And then Eric had avoided him up until tonight, so far, and that took a load off Ryan's shoulders. He had been able to spend most of the week studying and had aced a test just this morning, which made him nearly want to crow with victory, but now wasn't the time. He didn't want to scare Nick away before he had even gotten to really meet the kid.

Ryan arrived at the apartment door and knocked, and the door opened to show Nick standing there, looking up at Ryan with a pleased expression on his young face.

"So you really are Ryan McCarthy?" He asked with a grin. "_The _Ryan McCarthy?"

"I am," Ryan chuckled, stepping into the apartment and letting Nick close the door behind him.

"I've heard all about you!" Nick exclaimed. "I've watched all your fights, and I think you're amazing! What movie did you bring? Mom will be out in a minute. She's calling the pizza place."

"My favorite when I was your age," Ryan smiled, sitting on the couch with the boy. "'Peter Pan.' I used to watch it all the time." He handed the DVD case to Nick, who eagerly jumped up from the couch and put it in the player.

As he got the TV set up, Kayla came out of her room, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and she smiled as she sat down next to Ryan.

"What did you bring?" she asked.

"'Fight Club.' I thought it'd be appropriate, given his family's history and all," Ryan said with a grin, and he chuckled when Kayla gasped and slapped him on the arm as she jumped up from her seat.

"Nick, we are definitely not..."

"I'm joking! I'm joking," Ryan laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her back down onto the couch.

Nick settled down on Kayla's free side, and they watched the movie together, stopping only to pause the movie and get the pizza from the delivery boy, put their slices on some paper plates, and grab soda. Ryan noticed so many things during that movie, for he concentrated more on Kayla and Nick, having nearly memorized 'Peter Pan.' Nick was as cuddled up to his young mother as he could be, and she had one arm around him, almost protectively, something she did just out of habit.

It was hard to imagine her as having been a teenage mother, but she took her motherly role so seriously, and Ryan couldn't help but be intrigued by it. He had known girls who had gotten pregnant in high school (though, thank heavens, never by him!) and had either aborted or given their child up for adoption, but Kayla had decided to keep her son, and she seemed to adore him with her whole heart.

When the movie was finished, Nick hurried off to bed, leaving Kayla and Ryan alone on the couch.

"You've got a great kid," Ryan commented, interrupting the awkward silence that settled over the room.

"I know it," Kayla smiled. "I've been really blessed."

She got up from the couch and moved to a shelf full of DVDs that stood near the TV.

"Are you in the mood for something in particular?" she asked, going through her DVDs.

"Nope. Just not some chick flick."

"Really?" she grinned, an eyebrow arched. "Why ever not?"

"Because I promised you that I would behave myself, and with all that mushiness and tongue stuff going on, I'd have trouble refraining," Ryan chuckled and then smirked when a bright blush crept over Kayla's cheeks.

He didn't bother paying attention to what movie she chose, but smiled to himself as she sat back down on the couch. He then stretched, bringing his arm to rest behind her, and then watched as the movie came on.

"Is this all right with you?" he questioned, squeezing her lightly in his hold.

She nodded, though he noticed she didn't look at him but kept her eyes on the screen. She had chosen "Top Gun" and really seemed to enjoy the movie. Ryan had seen it every now and then on TV, but he only caught glimpses of it, for his senses were on overdrive with her sitting so close, the smell of her shampoo tantalizing him and the slenderness of her shoulders making him long intensely for her. She didn't seem to notice any of this, but kept her eyes on Maverick and Iceman, occasionally quoting along with the movie. Ryan found himself wondering if Stephen had ever held her like this, if he had ever shown her affection or any sort of closeness before they had consummated whatever sort of relationship they had had in the locker room. Did Kayla know what it was like to be loved? And who did Ryan think he was, to believe that he could show her such an emotion? Since when did love ever enter the picture? Love was something he used to swear he knew nothing about and didn't want. _Falling in love _was so cliche and immature. Lust he could handle and even want, but love wasn't permitted in his vocabulary. So why was he suddenly feeling so affectionate and concerned for Kayla?

"Hey you. You seem distracted," Kayla spoke softly, lightly punching him in the arm. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I was just deep in thought," he breathed deeply.

"About what?" she asked, concerned.

He shook his head, uncertain as to how to explain his feelings to her and not sure that he wanted to. This desire that he felt now, it felt different than it had with every other woman. He didn't burn for Kayla, but deep inside, it seemed almost like he ached. Like he didn't want her to leave his side, didn't want to leave her tonight. It wasn't that he wanted to get into bed with her. No, he felt quite satisfied to just stay close to her like this. But why? Why did this feel so innocent and so...good? Not filthy like the other feelings had?

"Ry?" her sweet voice asked, and he looked into her face, his eyebrows furrowed in thought and confusion.

"Kayla," he asked slowly, turning to face her better, "can I kiss you?"

She looked surprised at first, the blush returning to her cheeks, but then she nodded slowly, feeling that somehow he needed this. He laced his fingers through her hair and then moved close, pressing his lips lightly to hers. This kiss was unlike any of the others he had given her so far, for it was tender and sweet, with just enough pressure for her to realize that he was kissing her. She opened her eyes at his gentleness to see his eyes still closed, as though he was trying to determine what he thought of this.

Yeah, this was definitely a different feeling than he was accustomed to. She wasn't asking him for anything at all, and he wasn't giving her more than the faintest of touches, and yet, he wanted to be closer, he wanted to drown in her, and he wanted to know her inside and out as the lovely person that she was.

Ryan pulled back, a small smile on his face.

"Thank you," he said easily, wrapping his arms lightly around her and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Ryan, are you alright?" Kayla asked, pulling back slightly to look at his face.

"Yes. I just needed to try something."

"Would you care to share what you were trying?" she smiled.

"When I kiss you, it's different than when I've kissed others," Ryan said with a light sigh. "I feel strange. I usually feel high, like my blood boils, but with you, I don't want to be rough or violent. With you, I want to be careful, to protect you. It's strange."

"Well, what do you know?" Kayla laughed lightly, placing her hand over his chest. "Ryan McCarthy has a heart, and it isn't made of ice!"

"Are you mocking me, woman?" Ryan grinned, gathering her up closer and curling his body around her so that they were snuggled together.

"Perhaps," she smiled against his neck, liking their closeness. It was so innocent and simple.

"Tell me," he spoke after a moment, turning serious again, "did Stephen ever...kiss you?"

She was quiet, pressed comfortably against him, her arms wrapped around him, and she didn't answer for several long seconds. When she did speak, her voice was quiet, barely loud enough to hear.

"The only time I ever got kisses from him was when we were in the locker room, and those didn't count. He never touched my lips. You gave me my first kiss, in the mall."

"I was such a jerk."

"Yeah, you were," she nodded. "But what's done is done. It's over now. No going back."

"Let me make that up to you. Pretend it wasn't your first kiss from me."

"Oh? What would you rather have me claim for my first kiss?" she asked softly.

"This one."

He tilted her face up gently and then pressed his mouth to hers again, letting his lips slide tenderly against hers, never asking to deepen the kiss but putting his whole heart into it. Despite its simplicity, it was deeper than all the other kisses he had given, for it went straight to Kayla's heart, making her stifle a sob at the sweetness and true feeling behind it. He meant every second of this kiss. It wasn't an I-want-you-in-bed kiss, but a loving, you-mean-the-world-to-me kiss. Kayla melted in his arms, her arms wrapping lightly around his neck and a tear trickling down her cheek to land on his chest.

"I'm sorry," he murmured against her lips. "I am so sorry for everything you've been through and for the pain I've been giving you."

She nodded, pulling her mouth away from his and then resting her head on his chest. He didn't ask her for anything more, but stroked his fingers through her hair even as she breathed deeply, appreciating his warmth and his nearness.

When she began to fall asleep, Ryan took that as his cue to leave, and so he got off the couch and quietly left the apartment, making sure to lock the door shut behind him, feeling strangely satisfied and whole.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you so much for all the reviews on the last chapter! I am really encouraged by you!**

**Chapter Twelve: He Doesn't Fight Fair**

When Ryan woke up the next morning, he felt better than he had in a very long time. He had enjoyed an innocent, pleasant evening with Kayla and her son, and for the first time he felt content; whole and at peace. And he could admit, as he showered and got dressed for the day, that his feelings for Kayla were a great deal more than the lust he was accustomed to having. He was falling in love with her, a feeling he had never experienced for another woman, and while he didn't know Nick very well, he wanted to. He could easily enough dismiss the fact that Kayla was a mother and that Nick was her son, for he cared for both of them and had this strange, uncharacteristic desire to protect them. And he wanted to see them before he went to school, but he knew Nick was already off to his own school, and he would see Kayla later.

Ryan didn't know how, but his classes were done faster than usual today, and then he was in the library, waiting for Kayla. He was pleasantly surprised when she snuck up behind him, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek before she sat down next to him.

"Thanks for coming over last night," she said with a smile, pulling out her textbooks. "Nick had a lot of fun."

"And you didn't?" Ryan chuckled, opening her math book.

She didn't answer, and he gazed into her eyes, seeing the thoughtfulness that was there.

"I did," she said slowly. "I just..."

"Yes?"

"I didn't know you could be gentle like that. I had always seen you as so aggressive, but last night, you were gentle."

"Different people bring out different sides of me," he explained. "I've never wanted to be so careful with someone as I do with you. I don't want to hurt you."

She smiled slightly and then shook her head.

"You are a mystery, Ry."

"There is plenty of time to figure me out," Ryan smiled. "Now, to studying?"

"To studying," she nodded.

He didn't want her to leave when they were done studying, but she had her son and her job, and so he remained alone in the library for awhile, catching up on some studying once she was gone. He didn't notice how soon night arrived, and only when it was dark did he look up from his books in surprise and make his way out of the library.

He was deep in thought, on his drive home, and when he got out of the car at his apartment, it took him a few seconds to realize that he wasn't alone here. There were several cars parked in the parking lot that didn't belong to these apartments, and he recognized Eric immediately as his rival got out of truck. Others followed Eric's lead, getting out of their cars and slamming their doors shut, and Ryan smirked, leaning against his car and waiting for the enemy and his minions to approach him.

"You can't let our fight go, can you?" Ryan asked, his eyes flickering over the audience to see how many people, precisely, were here. "You kick me out of your club and then invade my living quarters to save face. How much of a jerk are you?"

"Are you scared, McCarthy?" Eric mocked, pulling his shirt off and stalking towards Ryan.

"_Of _you? No. _For_ you, most definitely," Ryan snickered, stepping forward to confront Eric, pulling his shirt off and kicking his shoes off in the process. "Let's end this now, so everyone can see, once and for all, who's the best, since you don't seem convinced."

He smiled, that millionaire-dollar Ryan smile, and then lunged forward, countering Eric's own sudden plunge forward. Like two bucks, they clashed, fists flying and feet kicking out. There were no rules here, unlike the ring, and Eric seemed convinced that he should break every rule that ever existed. He constantly aimed for Ryan's eyes, not managing to effectively pull off some eye gouging, but certainly leaving his opponent with black eyes without any difficulty. Ryan blocked off Eric as best as he could, but he quickly realized, as the seconds flew past, that Eric wasn't thinking clearly. He was either drunk or had some type of other substance abuse that caused him to fight so aggressively...

Kayla's warnings, about how Eric "didn't fight fair," flickered through Ryan's mind, but he chose to ignore those red flags and instead put his whole heart into beating the man who was determined to knock him out senseless before the night was over. Ryan barely heard the screams and applause of their audience as they danced to a waltz that was exceptionally dangerous and could, in fact, turn fatal. Eric was fighting to kill; that much was clear, and Ryan was only attempting to give the guy a good black out so that the fight would be ended.

For the first time in his fighting career, Ryan began to feel claustrophobic as the crowds pushed in closer, making the fighting grounds so much smaller and making it almost difficult to breathe. They all must have been insane, thinking it safe to get this close to two heavily fighting men, but Ryan chose to ignore that they were there, relieving himself of some of the pressure. If they got hit, that was their fault for standing too close, not his.

Eric's fist contacted Ryan's face, making his head snap to the side, and in that moment, Ryan decided that he would forget about taking it easy, would forget about playing fair. This man was trying to kill him. There could be no doubt about that as he swung his fists with drunken rage and kicked as though his life depended on it. This wasn't a fight in a ring, it wasn't a fight with a referee, and if Ryan wanted to walk out of this, he was going to have to fight harder. He let adrenaline pulsate through his body and roared before slamming a knee up into Eric's groin and then slamming an arm hard across the other man's neck, though not hard enough to break it. It threw Eric off balance, sending him crashing into one of the cars, but then he recoiled with greater ferocity and kicked out hard, his foot contacting the back of Ryan's legs. Ryan nearly went down, but he jumped back, ignoring the screaming pain in his legs and then lashed out, wrapping an arm around Eric's neck and slamming his fist into the man's face multiple times.

Whatever Eric was on, it was some strong stuff, because he wasn't blacking out. Ryan could feel pure rage flowing through him as he couldn't get Eric to yield, and then he felt Eric punc him in the stomach, making him nearly vomit whatever he had eaten already during the day. He stumbled back and then fell over, having been unprepared for the blow. He managed to grab the back of Eric's neck, as Eric bent over him to punch him into oblivion, and pulled himself up by it. He spun abruptly, kicking the back of Eric's neck, and was surprised when Eric grabbed his ankle and pulled him down hard onto the concrete.

Ryan didn't have a chance to get up before he felt the strangest sensation flood his body. Within seconds, he was higher than the clouds, his blood pounding in his ears as he sprang to his feet again and went at Eric with a new passion. He couldn't think clearly, suddenly, but that didn't bother him. He could barely hear his own shouting of triumph as he kicked Eric around, and all the voices surrounding him were slurred and surreal.

And then, seconds later, the kick was gone, and Ryan nearly collapsed on the ground, his whole body suddenly tired. He couldn't feel any pain at all. Not the rain of punches that Eric flung at him, not the multiple kicks to his ribs, not the feeling of the abrasions that suddenly coated his flesh. He couldn't feel anything... And then everything spun, and Ryan's head hit the ground, completely unconscious.

Kayla had just put Nick to bed, and, as was Nick's habit, he climbed out of his bed and moved to his window. He pulled the curtains away, so that he could look outside, always liking to look up at the stars and pray before he fell asleep. The little boy smiled happily as he saw the stars twinkling overhead, and he began to whisper his prayer. The innocent prayer was interrupted by the blaring of car horns, and Nick looked down into the street, just a few yards away from the back of his house, to see a Ford Mustang veering sharply in the road, front tires narrowly missing hitting what appeared to be a body lying limply in the middle of the street.

"Mom!" he shouted, spinning away from the window and running out of his room. "Mom!"

He found Kayla sitting on the living room couch, and she immediately stood up when she saw how big her son's eyes were and how white his face was.

"What is it?" she demanded, putting a hand on his shoulder. "What happened, Nick?"

"There's a sleeping man laying in the street! He almost got hit by a car!"

"A sleeping man?" Kayla frowned, running into his bedroom with him and looking out the window. Her face went ashen when she saw the form that her son was referring to, and without any more questions, she put a hand on his head.

"Nick, I want you to stay here. Do not go outside! Do you understand?"

The little boy nodded, terrified, and watched as his mother bolted out of his room and out of the apartment.

Kayla took the stairs two at a time, running for all she was worth to get to the prone figure in the street. She hadn't seen the man's face, didn't know entirely who it was, but she had a gut feeling that told her she had better get out there and get out fast. She slid to a stop at the edge of the sidewalk, her head turning to face the vehicle that was honking loudly at the figure in the street.

There was a semi truck moving full force towards the unconscious man in the middle of the street.

"Oh God!" Kayla cried out to the higher Deity as she ran out into the street, dropped onto her knees, and wrapped her arms around the man's upper body. She could hear the blaring of the semi's horns getting louder with every passing second, and sweat poured down her face and neck and she stood up, barely able to hold onto the man, for he was complete deadweight, and proceeded to drag him, as fast as she could, out of the street. Truck lights nearly blinded her as she dragged, unable to move very quickly with the man's weight, and her prayers flew up, screaming above the sound of the truck. She heard the screeching of tires, deafening in her ears, and felt her heart nearly stop as she flung her body backwards, landing hard against the sidewalk, and felt the man's heavy body land on top of hers, slamming onto her from the impact of her pull. She could see the truck go speeding past her, only inches away from her feet, its lights nearly blinding her and the rush of wind from its tires whipping across her skin.

As soon as it was gone, she rested her head back against the sidewalk, her arms still wrapped tightly around the man, and breathed her thanks to God, tears streaming from her eyes, the result of her adrenaline and suppressed terror. She then sat up slowly and rolled the man's body gently off of hers, resting him on his back. When she saw his face, she screamed up to Nick.

"Nick! Nick, call Uncle Red! Tell him it's an emergency! Go!"

She didn't need a response to know that her little boy had listened, and she looped her arms beneath Ryan's and attempted to pull him up with her as she got to her feet, but now that the adrenaline was gone, he was too heavy, and she rested him on the sidewalk again, trying her best not to cry as she looked at his bleeding and bruised body.

Red arrived in a matter of minutes and helped Kayla carry Ryan upstairs, giving Nick strict orders to stay in his room, because the boy didn't need to see this. Kayla and Red managed somehow to get Ryan onto the couch, and then both stepped back and looked at him for a moment.

"What happened to him? Besides him getting beaten to a pulp?" Red asked, turning to his more knowledgeable friend for her advice.

"He was drugged," Kayla spoke through clenched teeth, getting angry now that the danger was past. "And I know who did it, and I'm going after him."

"Oh no you aren't," Red laughed nervously, putting a tight hold on her arm. "Nope. If it was Eric..."

"Of course it was Eric!" Kayla shouted, not even trying to be subtle now. "You remember when we found Becky? Do you remember? She was so out of it that we couldn't get her conscious again for over a day! Do you remember that? Oh, and let's not forget about Chance! Sweet, innocent Chance, who lost his life because he almost uncovered the syndicate! I am going to Eric, and so help me, I am going to see to it that he's found out!"

"No you aren't!" Red snapped, putting both hands on her now.

"Yes, I am!"

"How are you going to stop Eric?" Red barked, shaking her hard. "Huh? How are you going to stop him if the police haven't even been able to catch up to him yet?"

"I am my father's daughter," Kayla spoke, her voice so low that it sent shivers of horror through Red.

"You can't fight him, Kay. He'll only take what he wants from you and then leave you in the street as well. If you go to Eric, then I'm going to your dad."

"What would you have me do, then? Look at him, Red! Look at him!" Kayla exclaimed and then burst into tears.

"You're going to stay here with him, and Nick is going to come home with me," Red said firmly. "You know how to tend to Ryan's injuries. When he comes out of it, he's going to need a pretty face, and I don't think there's anyone else he'd rather see than you. You will then do what you need to in order to help him get back to shape. You can call me when it's safe for Nick to come home. Tonight, just tend to Ryan. I'll take care of Nick."

Kayla gulped down her cries and nodded, turning to go to Nick's bedroom.

"Nick?" she asked, stepping into the room.

Her son looked up at her with wide, frightened eyes.

"It was Ryan, wasn't it?" he asked slowly.

"Yes," Kayla nodded, going down on her knees so that Nick could run into her arms and throw his arms around her neck.

"What happened to him? Why was he laying in the street?"

"Don't worry about it, my love. He's safe now," Kayla smiled tightly. "Shh. You are going to Red's house with him tonight. I will see you tomorrow."

"Are you going to be okay?" Nick asked, pulling back to look into his mother's face.

"Yes, and so will Ryan," Kayla nodded. "Come on."

She took his hand and led him into the living room, carefully moving him so that he still couldn't see Ryan, and then handed him to Red. She kissed Nick's forehead and wished them both goodnight, nodding to Red as they left to silently tell him that she would call back later. She then turned to Ryan and considered how exactly she was going to go about tending to his wounds.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you so much for the reviews, everyone! I truly appreciate it!**

**Chapter Thirteen: Recovery**

_"And Ryan 'The Terror' McCarthy lands another left hook to Jake Tyler's face! Look at those two go! McCarthy's going in for the kill...But wait! Jake's got the upper hand! Look at this! Look at this! Could it be 'The Terror's' being subdued? Impossible but true! Unbelievable!"_

The voices filtered into Ryan's mind as he slowly roused, his body in amazing pain and a dull throbbing in his head as he gradually came to full consciousness. He also had this terrible feeling that he couldn't lay still. His skin was crawling, rippling like an innumerable amount of insects were crawling over him, and he groaned softly as he tried to move, but his body was killing him. And why on earth was he hearing Max's voice recounting his last fight with Jake Tyler as he woke up?

"Ryan?" a soft voice asked, and Ryan turned his head towards the sound. For some reason, he didn't want to open his eyes; almost afraid that something bad would happen if he did.

"Kayla?"

"Hey. Don't open your eyes. They're probably a bit messed up. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck..."

He faded out as sudden images flashed through his mind. Headlights, blaring horns, a huge rush of wind...

"Kayla! I wasn't hit by a truck, was I?" he gasped, sitting up abruptly and being hit with a wave of nausea. He couldn't hold it back, but threw up, and he heard her voice trembling as the fabric of the couch shifted next to him and a warm rag found his mouth.

"You weren't hit by a truck," she whispered. "You got in a fight last night, I'm assuming with Eric, and got a good shot of heroin. Nick found you outside our apartment."

"Don't sell yourself short," he groaned, putting a hand out to try and find her. "You saved me. I know you did. And you were going to go out and hunt Eric down. I heard you, somehow."

Her fingers intertwined with his own, and he raised her hand to his cheek, feeling her soft skin against his own burning face. He raised his free hand to her cheek and felt the tears trickling down, dripping off of her chin.

"I had you really scared, didn't I?" he asked.

"Ryan, you looked like you were already dead!" Kayla cried, her lips trembling as tears trickled across them. "I already saw one person get killed by Eric. I couldn't bear to see you fall under that same fate."

"I'm here now, and I'm sure that in a little while I'll be just fine. I do need to take you up on your offer for more training, however. If I'm going to get up to that state-wide competition or whatever, I am definitely going to need to be in better shape."

Kayla laughed and rose from the couch.

"I've been cooking breakfast. I don't know if you want to eat, though."

"Not yet," Ryan smiled faintly. "Let me get my stomach back, first."

"Right," Kayla nodded, moving towards the kitchen.

It took Ryan an hour to get to the point where he could open his eyes without getting dizzy and could get up and walk. As soon as he stood up, he made a very sloppy beeline for the bathroom, needing to throw up again. He saw that Kayla had laid out a toothbrush and toothpaste for him, and so he brushed his teeth and then got into the shower, wanting some cold water to help his body recover. He had a good look at the damage, as he was in the bathroom, noticing that almost every bit of his skin was bruised or had been bleeding, and he had two magnificent black eyes. This was certainly not something that a woman had any desire to see, as far as men were concerned, and he sighed as he toweled off, disappointed that he hadn't heeded her warnings and upset that she had seen him in such a terrifying state.

He had only been left in his pants, when Kayla had found him, and she had no clean clothes for him, so he got back into the ripped, bloodied pants that he had originally come in and then stepped out of the bathroom. He saw that the door was open to the outside balcony, and he quietly made his way there, only stopping once to grab hold of the couch and right himself before he fell over. He found Kayla sitting in a chair, her legs stretched out so that her feet were resting on the balcony railing. She had a cup of coffee in hand, and her hair was blowing about softly in the wind. She didn't notice him step onto the balcony, for she was deep in thought, and he took that opportunity to move to her side and press a kiss to the corner of her lips.

"Hope you don't mind being kissed by Freddie Kruger," he murmured against her skin, and she laughed before turning her head so that she could look up at him.

"You look much better," she commented.

"It was the makeup. I borrowed some foundation and a bit of concealer..."

"You did not!" she gasped, playfully slapping him on the shoulder.

"No," he laughed, grabbing her offending hand and pulling her to her feet. He pulled her against him, so that he could feel her warmth, and then smiled as he put his hands gently to her face. "Pajamas today?" he asked, noticing her tank top and sweatpants.

"It's a Saturday tradition," she smiled. "I don't want you leaving until tonight, Ryan."

"I have no intentions of doing so. What shall we do for the whole day?"

"You are going to rest," she said firmly. "You can make yourself at home on my couch and we can watch movies or something, but I don't want you going home until I'm certain that you're safe."

"Really?" he grinned, cocking his head to the side so he could look better into her eyes. "So concerned."

"Of course, we could always study," she said, stumbling a bit. Despite his black eyes, he looked gorgeous like this.

"I appreciate the concern, Kay," he said, softening his grin into a smile. "I haven't really had anyone be concerned for me much before. They've just walked out on me."

"Unless you push me away, Ryan, I am not leaving," Kayla said, taking his arm and bringing him into the house. "Are you hungry? Do you think you can eat?"

"I think a drink may be better than eating just yet," Ryan said, suddenly tired. He swayed slightly, and Kayla guided him over to the couch.

"He gave you a good shot, Ryan," she said sadly, grabbing a blanket from one of the recliners and handing it to him. "I was really scared."

"It's alright," he yawned, stretching slightly so that he lay across the couch. "I certainly don't make your life any easier." He slurred slightly at the end of his words and his eyes drifted shut.

"You need to drink something, Ryan," Kayla's voice came from far away.

Ryan didn't respond, already nearly asleep again, but he did feel liquid trickle down his throat before he was entirely unconscious.

He was startled awake when, hours later, someone knocked on Kayla's door. He opened his eyes to see Kayla moving to the door and noticed that her hair was a bit of a tangled mess, due to her having taken a nap that afternoon as well. She opened the door and then stepped back as a large man walked into the apartment, speaking somewhat loudly as he did so.

"Hello, Kayla. I came to see my grandson. Where is Nick?"

"Dad," Kayla answered. "We agreed that you wouldn't come here unless you were sober."

"I am," her father answered quietly. "I am trying hard to stop drinking, Kayla."

"Nick isn't here."

"No? Then where...?"

Mr. Fisher trailed off when he saw Ryan lying on the couch.

"You've brought another fighter into your bed, have you?" Mr. Fisher growled, turning to Kayla. "One wasn't enough?"

"Nick found him outside last night. Someone had shot him up with heroin."

"And the fact that he's Ryan McCarthy has nothing to do with it," Mr. Fisher scowled.

"Your daughter did nothing wrong, sir," Ryan spoke up, trying to sit up but his whole body was aching again. "I was hurt and she took me in. We did nothing worth getting angry about."

"What are you going to do about him?" Mr. Fisher asked, turning to Kayla again. "Are you keeping him here until he's well?"

"I'm bringing him back to his apartment tonight, and then we're going to start training. He wants to go into the MMA championship, and I'm going to teach him," Kayla answered quietly, trying to get her father's good graces.

"Since when have you been qualified to teach that?" Mr. Fisher questioned.

"Since I was born and became your daughter," Kayla replied. "Can I get you a drink, Dad? I was just getting dinner ready. Do you want to stay and eat with us?"

"No, but thank you. I'll leave you two alone," Mr. Fisher frowned, turning and leaving the apartment.

"I didn't think I'd ever meet the Iron Tiger before, nor that he'd be so grumpy," Ryan commented after the door had shut.

"The alcohol has pretty much ruined him," Kayla sighed tiredly, gathering some plates from the kitchen and setting them on the coffee table next to Ryan. "I miss the way things used to be between us, but it seems God had other plans for our relationship. Now listen. You have to eat tonight. You haven't eaten all day."

"What did you make?" Ryan asked, watching her as she worked in the kitchen.

"Spaghetti with meat sauce. I hope you can stomach it," Kayla said, bringing the pot of food over to the table. "And I have a glass of water for you here that you need to drink."

"I wish that I had had a mother like you, Freckles," Ryan said, taking his plate into his lap.

"That was random," Kayla laughed lightly.

"You are so good at taking care of people, and really caring about them," he explained. "My mother left me."

"Why?" Kayla asked. "Why would she do that to you?"

"My father hit it big and got filthy rich. He took on mistresses, starting with his secretary. My mother, as was understandable, couldn't handle that, and so she left. She just packed up and left, never telling me anything. I haven't heard from her since. I was twelve. That's why I took up fighting," Ryan explained, staring at his plate. "It helped me get rid of stress. I wanted to be the best to convince myself that I wasn't entirely worthless, that it wasn't my fault she had left."

"Oh Ryan, it wasn't," Kayla said gently, reaching up to touch his face.

"Nick's really lucky to have you, Kay," Ryan said, putting his hand over hers and closing his eyes.

"You have me too."

He chuckled, and squeezed her hand gently. "Thanks."

"I want to start your training on Monday," Kayla said, pulling back so that they could eat. "If you're feeling up to it."

"I imagine that I'll be fine," Ryan smiled.

"Good. Come to the gym after school and we'll get you started."

Kayla brought Ryan back to his apartment that night, and the first thing he did was shower again and change into some black shorts. He asked Kayla to stay and make herself comfortable in his living room, and when he came out of the bathroom, he found her stretched out across one of his leather couches, flipping through a sports magazine. He smiled at the sight of her. She looked like she belonged here, all comfortable on his couch. He moved over to her and then sat at the edge of the couch, picking up her legs and putting them in his lap so that she didn't have to change her comfortable position.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, putting the magazine aside.

"Much better," Ryan grinned, leaning back on the couch and stretching his arms. "Care to stay for a bit and watch a movie?"

"I think I can do that. Nick wants to stay with Red for another night. He said they're going to the movie theater with Art and Becky," Kayla nodded. "What did you want to watch?"

"Let's see," Ryan said, grabbing the remote control for the TV.

He flipped around through the channels a bit and then found "Forrest Gump."

"Mind if I get a little closer to you?" he asked as the movie started.

"I don't mind," Kayla shook her head, and Ryan moved so that he was leaning against her, his legs alongside hers on the couch. He wrapped an arm around her and then rested his head on her shoulder. He could feel that she was a bit stiff, uncertain, but then he took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, and spoke, his breath warm on her shoulder.

"Tell me one of your deepest secrets, Kayla."

"One of my deepest secrets?" she asked, surprised. "Why?"

"Because I want to get to know you better. So far, you seem perfect to me, but I want to get to know who you really are. Deep down inside where it counts," Ryan answered, resting a hand over her heart.

He could feel her heart pounding wildly beneath his touch and imagined that he had probably crossed some boundary line in touching her there, but she didn't fight him. Instead, she looked in his eyes and spoke softly.

"You tell me one of yours first."

"Very well," he nodded. "I hate fighting. I've hated it ever since I started. It's just the only way I know to prove to people, and to myself, that I'm not a loser. To make matters worse; it's something I'm good at."

"You are very good at it," she nodded. "I'm sorry I asked you to help with Arthur. I didn't realize you don't like fighting."

"I like the adrenaline of it, but that's all. And as for Arthur, I want to help," Ryan said firmly. "I'll get to the championships, but after that, I'm done. I'm going to school to hopefully become some sort of assistant coach for football. I'm ready to get away from the ring fights. So tell me," he smiled, massaging her fingers gently with his. "What is Kayla Fisher's deepest secret?"

"Alright," she breathed deeply, looking down at their hands. "This is going to sound terrible, but I wish I hadn't done what I did with Stephen. Don't get me wrong," she said hastily, "Nick is my son and I love him with all of my heart. I wouldn't get rid of him or replace him for all the money in the world, but..." She bit her lip, shaking her head uncertainly. "I gave away my greatest gift, my body, in less than five minutes, and now I'm scared to ever do it again. It was painful, and it was wrong, and I feel so guilty every time I think about it. I know it's common these days for teenagers to...to do that, but I had never wanted to do that until I was married. And now I've given that up, and my husband isn't going to have a pure wife if I ever marry. That, and I'd be scared to give him my body again..."

"Kayla, whoever gets you is going to be one lucky man. And if he doesn't see that, then he isn't worth your time."

"I know that," Kayla smiled. "But it's hard to believe that after the wrong I've done. Who is going to want to marry a woman that already has a son?"

"There are those guys out there," Ryan answered, kissing her forehead lightly. "Thanks for sharing with me."

"Thanks for asking me. I needed to get that off my chest. I haven't told anyone that before," Kayla whispered, snuggling into his side.

He didn't answer, but kissed her forehead again and wrapped his arms around her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Training**

Training began that Monday, and Ryan found quickly that Kayla's ways of training were quite unique in comparison to what he was accustomed to. Her first challenge for him was to find a job. That was somewhat of a shock, but then when she told him exactly where she wanted him to work, that nearly blew his mind. Walmart. She wanted him to work at Walmart. And doing what? Being a cart boy. A cart boy, of all things! He did want to argue this point, but Kayla was strongly convinced that he needed to do this, and so he went. He wasn't sure what kind of training exactly this would help him with, until he realized that he had to push about fifteen carts at a time when none of the cart machines were available. That helped him work up a sweat, and when he got his first paycheck, the next Monday, he was filled with such a feeling of triumph, that he was standing financially on his own two feet, that he added more vigor to his work and made quite the impression on his employers.

And then there were the basketball games. Once Ryan's ribs were healed up enough from Eric's assault, Kayla challenged him to play some of the other male members of the gym in what turned out to be a rather vicious game of basketball. She and Nick watched, unable to stop laughing, as Ryan was beat fair and square, and for the first time in years, he also was able to laugh at himself, he was that bad. Of course, then Kayla treated him and Nick to ice cream afterward, and that made matters all better. Though, naturally, Kayla wasn't finished putting him through torture, but continued to challenge Ryan to play the basketball games after that, which helped the fighter to get much better and also strengthened his flexibility and strategic thinking.

There were the regular exercises, weight lifting, running, and all the other same boring things, but Kayla found ways to make them interesting. She began exercising with Ryan, not nearly as good as he was, but encouraging him nonetheless. They went running together, and punched bags together, and Ryan was able to see her every day, which furthered the relationship that was slowly growing between them. There was something there, something deep, and as the days progressed, Ryan found himself becoming happier and happier, something he was unfamiliar with and was quite pleased about.

What time he had that was not filled with exercising was occupied by studying. He didn't have time now for parties, and he didn't have the desire to get drunk because he was simply too busy. He was almost always with someone from the gym, whether it was Arthur, Red, Kayla, or one of the others, and he started to feel a distinct sense of purpose for his life. These people, from this small, little-known gym, were fast becoming his family, and he would fight for them in the upcoming competitions and he would win.

He ignored Eric entirely whenever he saw him, not wanting to go through another drug episode with him again, but he never ceased to notice the dark looks that Eric gave Kayla whenever he saw her. It seemed almost like he was waiting for something, a moment, perhaps, to jump at the girl.

There was only one part of Ryan's training that truly irked him, and that was the fact that, whenever he and Kayla went running on the beach, he couldn't catch her. True, she had been training with running on the sand a lot longer than he had, but he still should have been able to catch her. She always ran ahead of him, her long hair coming out of its ponytail as she looked over her shoulder and laughed at him. One of these days, he was going to catch her, because if he couldn't catch some woman on the sand, how in the world was he going to be able to fight in a professional ring?

Another evening came, and once again, Ryan was running after Kayla on the beach, watching as she laughed from the sheer pleasure of it all. It had been three weeks of intense training now, and he was determined that this was going to be the evening when he finally caught her. He quickened his pace, grinning as he drew closer to her, both of them nearly in the water so that they were running against the firmly packed sand. Kayla's hair was almost red in the lighting of the setting sun, with strands of gold sparkling amongst the auburn, and her body was so tan in the light that it made Ryan's mouth water. He had trouble keeping his eyes focused on her upper half, for her legs were long and shapely, perfectly revealed by her shorts. He wondered if she had dressed this way on purpose, hoping to get him to run faster, but he quickly dismissed that thought. Other women might do such a thing, but not Kayla. She had far more innocence than that.

"Come on, Ry!" Kayla called, laughing. "I'm beating you again!"

Ryan clenched his teeth and put in a burst of speed. He was going to get her this time! Oh yes he was!

Within seconds, he had caught up to her, his feet kicking sand up her legs, and then he reached out and caught one of her shoulders. That threw the both of them off-balance, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as they both went down, protecting her from a more painful fall. They then managed to roll down towards the water, Kayla scrambling with her arms to stop their momentum before they hit the waves and got soaking wet. Her elbows dug into the sand, stopping them right before they could hit the water, and she let out a rush of air as Ryan landed on top of her, her legs trapped between his and his arms wrapped around her.

"Looks like you've saved me once again," he panted, his breath rushing over her neck as he leaned up slightly to look down into her face.

"You caught up to me!" she breathed.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked with concern, brushing some loose hair out of her face. "That was quite the fall."

"No. I think you saved me from a worse one," she said, trying to catch her breath.

She breathed slowly and deeply, trying to regain her normal breaths, her chest brushing against Ryan's as she did so. She was so soft and felt so warm that he began to entertain thoughts of how wonderful she'd be to kiss passionately, to taste, to feel in every manner. He shook his head, reminding himself that this was Kayla he was with, not some woman that only wanted him in bed. She had a fear of being taken advantage of, of sleeping with a man after what she had been through, and his thoughts weren't helping.

Kayla's body warmed as she lay there beneath Ryan, closing her eyes to try and clear her mind. She felt safe like this, content with his body pressed against hers, and it frightened and confused her. But then she opened her eyes and looked into his, and her fears melted. He wouldn't hurt her, nor would he take advantage of her. Even now his body was soft against hers as he tried to keep his weight off of her, putting just the barest of pressure against her. And as she looked into his eyes, she realized something that startled her, but brought her a feeling of peace as well.

"Hey. What are you thinking?" Ryan asked gently.

"Ry, I think...I think..." she stammered a bit, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"What is it? Don't cry," he said tenderly, putting his hands softly to her hair.

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

There. She'd said it. It had been over a month since they'd met, and she felt childish and somewhat immature for confessing, but may as well get it out in the open. He probably thought she was stupid for saying it, and that was alright. It was true, despite how stupid and cliché it sounded. She turned her face away, suddenly embarrassed, but he put his fingers to her cheek and turned her back to face him. There was an intense look in his eyes, and before she could speak about how dumb that must have sounded, his mouth was on hers.

Her hands, trembling for reasons that she didn't understand, moved to his back, holding him lightly. She closed her eyes as he kissed her, deepening his kiss to a new level and making her heart soar. She almost couldn't think as she responded to this new touch, suddenly feeling euphoric, and she hummed quietly against his kiss. Something seemed to snap inside of Ryan then, and he pulled back violently, moving off of her to give them both some space.

"Ryan, I'm sorry!" Kayla breathed, her cheeks red as she looked away from him, believing that his sudden pulling away had been all her fault. "I'm so sorry!"

"That's not your fault. It's all mine. I should have known better than to go that far. I'm sorry," he apologized, gazing out at the waves with her. "You could have just rolled me over into the water if you wanted."

She laughed and shook her head.

"You're beautiful, Kayla," he spoke deeply, rubbing her shoulder with his own. "So beautiful that I can't help myself sometimes."

"I certainly didn't help," she murmured, resting her chin on her knees and staring out at the ocean.

"Having fond memories, are we?" Ryan asked, brushing her hair away from her shoulder and kissing her skin lightly. "I'm sorry, Kayla. Can I make it up to you?"

"How so?" she asked, smiling at him. "No more kisses. I don't think that's going to help either of us."

"The school has a dance coming up in two weeks. It's got a fifties theme to it. Would you be willing to go with me?" he asked.

"I don't know how to dance," she grinned.

"Oh, it doesn't take much. Those kind of dances just need you to do some good old grinding anyways," Ryan shrugged and then laughed when she blushed. "I'm just joking, Kay. I can teach you how to dance."

"I would like that," she nodded.

"Good! Stand up!" Ryan said, standing up and offering her his hand.

"Now?" she asked, keeping her gaze on his face. "Do you think now is a wise time to do that?"

"I'll be alright," he nodded, knowing what she was referring to. "Come on."

She took his offered hand and let him pull her to her feet, taking care not to crash against him once she was standing. He put one of her hands on his shoulder and took her other hand in one of his, even as his unoccupied hand moved to her waist.

"Not too close," he warned. "Don't think I could handle that right now. And eyes up here. Always up here," he said, tilting her chin up so that she was gazing into his face. "Now we dance."

He moved her, taking great care not to press his lower half against her. He twirled her around, leading and letting her follow. She picked up quickly, laughing and truly enjoying herself.

"Where did you learn how to dance?" she asked as he spun her.

"Family reunions. I want to bring you sometime," he chuckled. "I have some of the strangest family members. My great-grandparents still remember all of the music from the 50s, so they taught me how to do several of the dances. I have much to teach you. The Cha-cha, the Jitterbug, the Twist..."

"A man of many talents!" Kayla laughed as he dipped her low and then pulled her back up again.

"I used to hate going to the reunions just because I had to dance with all the old ladies," Ryan grinned. "But now that I've gotten a bit older, I've come to appreciate it."

"And there were no inappropriate dances back then," Kayla smiled.

"Oh yes there were," he grinned. "I'll show you them later. Right now, eh..."

"That's alright!" she laughed. "You don't have to show me!"

"But now I want to show you," he pouted before leaning in and kissing her temple.

"Of course you do. Do keep your distance please, McCarthy," Kayla giggled.

He laughed with her, rubbing his nose against hers before he pulled back and twirled her once more before taking her hand in his and leading her off the beach.

The sun had gone down by now, and all was peaceful. The waves splashed cheerfully against the shore, and the stars had all come out to dance. Ryan wished he didn't have to return Kayla to her home. He wished that they could dance the night away and then greet the morning together, in each others arms, but that wouldn't happen and he knew it.

One day, perhaps, things would be different.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"Come on out, Kay! We can't wait to see it!" Red called out, sitting on the living room floor with Arthur, Becky, and Nick two weeks later.

"Hold on!" Kayla called from her room. "Almost ready!"

"So Kay's told me that you've been helping her practice her dancing," Arthur smiled at Nick. "What have you two been learning?"

"I've just been helping with The Twist," Nick grinned. "Mom's really good. She can get pretty low on the floor. She even can do it in her heels."

"Alright!" Kayla called and then opened her bedroom door and stepped into the living room.

She was dressed in a light green gown with capped sleeves and a sweetheart neck that came to just below her knees. A wide gold belt was wrapped around her slim waist, and she wore gold high-heels to match it. Her hair was pulled to the side in a simple ponytail, loose curls cascading from the elastic band, and her bangs were loose on her face with some free-standing curls to gently frame her face. She wore lipstick and just the faintest bit of eyeliner and shadow to accentuate her eyes.

"Whooee!" Red exclaimed, straightening the tie of his pin-striped suit. "I'm glad I'm going tonight! I'm going to need to make sure McCarthy can keep his hands off you!"

"Becky did an awesome job on this dress, didn't she?" Kayla asked, twirling so that the skirt swished around her legs. "You should be proud of her, Arthur."

"Oh, I am," Arthur smiled, wrapping an arm around Becky. "It came out beautifully, Becky."

"Thank you so much," Kayla nodded with a smile.

"Didn't they used to wear gloves to the dances?" Red asked.

"I have some on the counter," Kayla nodded. "You look sharp, Red."

"Thanks. My date's going to meet me at the hall with a bunch of her friends. I should just hitch a ride to the dance with you and Ryan. I always did think that truck of his was compensating for something..."

"Oh shush," Art chided. "He'll take good care of her."

There was a knock on the door, and Nick ran to it.

"Who is it?" he called through the door.

"Ryan. What's up, kiddo?"

There was no hiding the delight on Nick's face as he unlocked the door and opened it for Ryan. There was also no hiding the surprise when he saw how Ryan was dressed. Ryan had gone all out for this occasion. He had too many grandfathers who had saved their belongings from the fifties, and as such, he was dressed perfectly for the dance. He was dressed in a white long-sleeved button down shirt, covered by a white sport jacket, with black pants, black dress shoes, and a thin black tie around his neck. To top it all off, he wore a white fedora, and he grinned with amusement at Nick's wide open mouth and big eyes.

"A little overboard?" Ryan grinned, stepping into the living room. "I was going to see about borrowing my grandpa's old Army outfit, but that uniform was too dear to him, so..."

He trailed off, unable to utter a word more when he saw Kayla. His eyes widened, and he looked her up and down.

"What do you think?" she asked a bit nervously. "Becky made it for me."

"Becky," Ryan whistled, "do you by chance make wedding dresses, because Freckles, Sweetheart, we're getting married."

"Yes! I knew it!" Nick whooped, and both Kayla and Ryan blushed.

"Not yet, Nick. Give it time. He was joking," Arthur laughed.

"Aw man," Nick pouted, wrapping his arms around his mother. "Have fun, Mom. We're going to watch 'Treasure Planet' while you're gone."

"Thanks," Kayla said, still blushing as she turned to Ryan. "Are we ready?"

"Nope. Hold on," he said, moving his hand out from its place behind his back, a small plastic case in it. "I know we're not in high school anymore, thank God, but I wanted to get you a flower. It doesn't entirely match your outfit, I'm afraid."

He opened the case to show her a red rose with the stem removed and a few leaves placed carefully around it, and Kayla gasped with delight before turning to show it to Becky.

"Oh, we can find a place for that," Becky grinned, reaching into her purse for some bobby pins and then gesturing for Kayla to come over. She then proceeded to pin the rose against Kayla's ponytail, softening the woman's beautiful look even more. "Now you're ready!" Becky said with triumph as she turned Kayla around and pushed her lightly towards Ryan.

Ryan savored the blush on Kayla's cheeks as he offered his arm and she looped hers through it. He brought her out the his car and, feeling particularly respectable this evening, opened her door for her.

"Thanks for bringing me," she smiled. "I am really looking forward to this. Nick helped me with my dancing all this past week."

"Nick is quite an opinionated young man," Ryan chuckled, looking forward as he drove.

"Yes. I'm sorry about that," Kayla blushed.

"Don't be sorry. That's about the highest compliment I've ever been paid."

She laughed lightly and shook her head.

"My son definitely didn't get that forwardness from me."

"He does look a little like you, though, now that I've seen him a few times," Ryan grinned.

"Barely," Kayla answered. "But thanks."

They arrived at the school's auditorium a few minutes later, which had been transformed into a dance hall with a very fifties air to it. Music disks were hanging from the walls, balloons were all over the place, and a live band had been hired, all dressed in blue tuxedos with bowties.

Ryan handed his and Kayla's tickets to a man waiting at the door, and he tore them each in half, handing Ryan and Kayla back the stubs and telling them to keep a hold on them for drawings later on in the afternoon. Ryan tucked the stubs into his jacket pocket, and then turned and grinned at Kayla.

"So...what to do first? Are you hungry? Should we eat and then dance the night away?"

"Maybe a little dancing first, and then eating?" Kayla suggested. "Otherwise we'll be worn out before long."

"And then I'd have to carry you back to the car. Tsk, tsk. And Nick would _really _get the wrong impression."

Kayla laughed and then took his hand, walking with him onto the dance floor, which was quite crowded by now. She put her arms around his neck, as she didn't know how to dance to this particular song, and he put his hands to her waist, grinning at her from beneath his fedora.

"What?" she smiled up at him.

"I never thought I'd be asking you to a dance," he grinned, weaving with her through the other dancers. "And yet here we are."

"Are you disappointed?" she asked, concerned.

"Oh no. Not at all," he smiled, tipping his fedora back slightly so that she could better see his face. "I've never been disappointed when I've been with you. And I think I'm going to have to ditch this jacket because it's warm in here."

They danced for half an hour before stopping for a break to get some food and punch, and then the dancing started up again. They danced to Dion, The Temptations, Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, The Platters, and then the prize drawings for the night were announced. All music and dancing stopped as the organizer of the dance stepped up onto the stage, a fedora in hand, and began calling out names and prizes.

Kayla was never one at winning things, so she wasn't paying too much attention, but Ryan caught when her number was called, and he grabbed her, surprising her, and spun her around as they heard that she had won a date for two to the _Fraises et Crème_, a rather expensive restaurant that the college students most certainly couldn't afford to go to.

"What are you spinning me for?" Kayla laughed as Ryan set her back on her feet. "I'm planning on taking Nick!"

"Oh! Oh that was low," Ryan groaned, doubling over and clutching his stomach, looking up at her from beneath the shadow of his hat. "And who paid for your dance ticket, hmm?"

"Oh, the man that I actually made work at Walmart and who paid for the tickets with his own money," Kayla giggled.

"Now that really was a low blow. Got me right in the stomach," Ryan grinned, standing up straight again. "Though I am doing quiet well at Walmart. I always have plenty of women wanting me to help them out with their stuff. And I get great tips. Tell me how many cart boys get to do all that!"

"And let me guess. They stick their tips in your back pocket," Kayla frowned.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Ryan laughed as they made their way up to get her restaurant certificate.

"No," she denied, taking her tickets from the announcer and then leading the way off the stage. "Why should I be jealous? You've always been a big hit with the girls."

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for The Twist!" the announcer suddenly called, interrupting the conversation, and the music began, much louder this time, for this was the hour that the organizers had chosen to play all the famous dance songs.

Ryan laughed, grabbing Kayla's hand and spinning her before they both started twisting. He got down nearly on his knees, still managing to twist somehow, and Kayla couldn't seem to stop laughing as they twirled and twisted. The Twist moved into The Jitterbug and then The Charleston, and before they knew it, it had gotten quite late and they were worn out.

"Ready to head out?" Ryan asked, taking his jacket off of a chair and tipping his fedora at Kayla.

"I think so," she nodded, her eyes shining.

"One stop before I get you home," Ryan smiled, taking her hand in his and leading her outside.

Minutes later they were at the beach. Ryan had left his hat, jacket, tie, shoes, and socks in the car, along with Kayla's hair band and heels. They walked out to the edge of the water and then stepped into the ocean, letting the water rush soothingly across their feet as they walked along the shore. A gentle breeze was blowing, and every star was out tonight, accompanied by a full moon. Kayla still had a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the fresh breezes, the sound of the ocean, and the music that was drifting out from a late-night jazz club.

_"Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance, _

_ With the stars up above in your eyes._

_ A fantabulous night to make romance,_

_ 'Neath the cover of October skies."_

"Ryan," Kayla spoke, opening her eyes and looking to her side, "thank you so much for tonight. I've never been to a dance before."

"Never?" he smiled, unbuttoning his shirt slightly so that he could breathe a bit more easily. "The guys must have all been blind not to ask you to a dance."

"No, they could see quite well," she said quietly. "I was pregnant when Prom came around. My father wouldn't have let me go anyways."

"You have a wise father. When I have children, I don't know that I'll be letting them go to the Prom either. And as for you being pregnant; that was no excuse on the guys' part. That just means that they couldn't get you pregnant if you already were. The Prom is overrated, Kay," Ryan said simply, taking her hand in his as they walked along.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me and Nick, Ryan. What with my terrible past, I'm surprised you've stayed with me," Kayla sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I don't care about your past, Kayla," Ryan said, turning her face gently towards his. "I only care about your future. And I want to be part of that future. Would you...Kayla, would you be my girl? Let me be your boyfriend?"

She smiled, her eyes sparkling again, and nodded.

"Yes. I would most happily be your girl. Would you come to church with me on Sunday, Ry? I really want you to be more a part of my life, and so much of it, despite some of my behaviors, is centered around God."

"I will," he agreed. "And I promise I won't do anything more than hold your hand. I think I've already done enough."

"Thank you," she grinned, "for your willingness to restrain yourself. I am most flattered."

"Kay, I don't want to..."

She laughed lightly and, before he could finish his sentence, she pressed her lips to his in a soft, lingering kiss. It was the first time she had kissed him without him making the first move, and it gave him, without a doubt, the greatest feeling of conquest and contentment that he had ever had.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

"You keep on shoutin'! You keep on shoutin'!"

Kayla and Nick clapped their hands and laughed as the rest of the men in the room joined Ryan and Red in their karaoke.

"I wanna rock and roll all night! And party every day!  
I wanna rock and roll all night! And party every day!"

Red shook his head about crazily, making his baseball hat fall off, and Ryan let out a good "Ow!" before slamming his hand down the strings of his air guitar and sticking out his tongue, doing his best Gene Simmons imitation. He then plopped down on the couch in between Nick and Kayla and clinked his Coke bottle against theirs. It had been two weeks since he and Kayla had become official, and he had no trouble hiding that fact as he took one of her hands in his.  
"Thanks for doing Red's birthday party at your place," Kayla smiled, resting her head against his shoulder. "He's having a great time. Are you nervous about the match tomorrow?"  
"Nah," Ryan grinned, squeezing her hand gently. "I'll have the prettiest cheerleader."  
"Why thanks, Ryan!" Red grinned, sitting down next to the couch. "I'm glad you think so highly of me!"  
"Remember... I'm not going," Kayla spoke quietly.  
"I remember," Ryan nodded. "You'll be watching on the TV, though, and that's enough for me."  
"And I'll tell you all about it later," Red nodded.  
"Hey guys, there's a song coming up for Kayla!" Jack, one of the gym members, called. "Ooh, I remember this one! You won us caught the applause at the club once upon a time!"  
"A club?" Ryan asked, an eyebrow raised as Jack hurried over to Kayla and lightly grabbed her arm.  
"Come on!" Jack called, and the others echoed his cheer.  
"You know you want to, Kay," Becky chuckled, stepping into the apartment with Art and Red's cake.  
"Back in high school," Kayla rolled her eyes as she was tugged to her feet, "these guys tricked me into going to a karaoke club."  
"Your dad approved," Red chuckled, raising his soda can to her. "This is going to be a treat, Ry. She floored everyone in the audience with this song."  
"Dad knew the owner of the club," Kayla explained to Ryan as she stepped onto their makeshift stage. "That's the only way I got in. That's also how I happened to officially meet Eric..."  
"Oh, enough of Eric!" Red booed. "Show your boyfriend what you've got, Kay!"  
Kayla laughed and took her elastic band out of her hair, shaking the strands out before she took the microphone from Jack and gave him a friendly punch in the process. The music then started, and she began singing, a huge grin on her face. Ryan couldn't help but laugh as she walked to and fro on the stage, adding all the right emphasis and flinging her head back or to the side occasionally to let her hair flip around.

"The best thing about being a woman  
Is the prerogative to have a little fun.

Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy, forget I'm a lady,  
Men's shirts, short skirts.  
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild yeah, doin' it in style.  
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action, feel the attraction,  
Color my hair, do what I dare.  
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free yeah, to feel the way I feel...  
Man! I feel like a woman!"

"Holy cow!" Ryan grinned, putting an arm around Nick's shoulders and squeezing him lightly. "That's our girl, Nick!"  
"Imagine her doing that at fifteen. Mm. Those were the days," Red sighed, watching as Kayla finished the song. "It was all great before Eric came in and started harassing her. He used to work out at 'Ronny's,' and he just had to be at the karaoke place that night to see her. After that, he wouldn't keep his eyes, or his hands, off of her. So...," he changed the subject drastically, "I'm looking forward to seeing you fight. Fights start at 7:00 P.M. Should be interesting."  
"Still wish Kay would come," Ryan frowned.  
"You know why she won't," Red said simply. "Too many memories involved with the ring. She doesn't need that. You've got her name going with you. That's all that counts. Did you take a good look at the schedule?"  
"Yeah. Tomorrow I mainly just get to show myself off, see if I can get any sponsors and get my name out there. Going to go through every fight thrown at me until I collapse," Ryan nodded. "And Eric will be going, but he isn't one of my competitors for tomorrow. He's already in the runnings for the higher competitions."  
"No he won't be fighting, so steer clear of him," Red advised.  
"I will. I don't play with cheaters," Ryan agreed. "Though one of these days, we'll have at it."  
"Tell me when that day comes. I want to be there," Red grinned.

Ryan, Red, and Arthur made their way to the Miami convention center the following afternoon. The parking lot for the auditorium was jam-packed, and Ryan felt a familiar discomforting sensation as he and the others got out of their car and walked towards the building.  
Performing for a bunch of high schoolers was one thing, but the people here were out for blood, and they would be watching him like a hawk. Ryan, Red, and Arthur showed their tickets and got into the building, and Ryan could feel his adrenaline already beginning to rush. Cameras were flashing everywhere, and the place was crowded with bodies. He re-signed some liability waivers and then moved towards the locker rooms with Red and Arthur, waiting for his turn to fight.  
"I feel like this is a show. Just one big, ridiculous show," Ryan frowned, standing by a freezer which was full of ice. He kicked off his shoes and socks, putting them on a shelf, and looked around him at the other men who were stretching and practicing their punches on available punching bags.  
"It's definitely not high school," Arthur smiled, "but I think you'll do quite well."  
"How many fighters are we looking at in all?" Ryan asked, pulling his sweat shirt off, leaving him in a tight shirt and black shorts.  
"Fifteen. It's going to be a long night," Red said, handing him his practicing gloves.  
Ryan pulled the gloves on and then started jogging in place, throwing air punches and warming up. He could hear music pounding into the locker rooms from the auditorium, and it sent his blood pulsing.  
The last time he had been in any sort of large, professional auditorium fight setting had been with Jake Tyler, and that certainly hadn't gone over well. He had been disqualified for eye gouging, a vice which, admittedly, Ryan had used more than once and had only been caught in that one fight. That disqualification had undoubtedly followed him here, and he could only hope that Kayla's name or, more accurately, the name of her father, would help remove some of that stench. Once upon a time, he had only cared about fighting because he wanted to get out some aggression, but now he had deeper reasons for fighting, and it was because of those reasons that he couldn't handle these fights like they meant nothing to him. He had to win, and he felt somewhat insufficient as he looked around at the other fighters, all seeming to be so much larger and more ferocious than he was.  
"Come on, now. No doubts," Kayla had told him as she saw him and the others off that afternoon. "You're 'Ryan the Terror McCarthy!' You'll knock their socks off!"  
If only he had her confidence.

The fights began, one after the next, and Ryan was called out into blinding camera flashes and crowds. He pulled off his shirt and handed it to Red, re-wrapping his practice gloves around his hands and making sure they were securely fastened before he stepped into the ring.  
His first competitor was big, frightfully so, but Ryan used the skills Kayla had taught him, flexibility and speed, to come out fairly unscathed, and then he was able to wait a bit before he was called in to fight the next competitor. For the first time in years he heard the cries of his name, and it boosted his ego just a bit, but not as much as it once had. Now he only wanted to hear one voice cheering for him, and the assurance that she was watching these fights and was cheering for him regardless of whether or not she could hear him did a great deal to comfort him.  
The evening dragged, hour after long hour, and Ryan began to not even bother noticing which fighters he was up against. They all started to look the same after two hours, but for Arthur and for Kayla he had to keep fighting. His body was battered and bruised, and finally he had to stop. He found himself face down on the mat, his adversary pounding at his back, and too weary to keep going, Ryan slammed his palm on the blue mat, tapping out.  
"That was humiliating," Ryan grunted casually as he nearly fell off the ring and was caught by Red and Arthur and brought back into the locker room.  
"Maybe so, but you did get a sponsor. Harper's Sports Supply wants to sponsor you for the next fight, and if they like what they see next time, they'll keep giving you money," Red said, grabbing a package of ice from the chest and opening it.  
"And you need to watch your fights later. I'm sure Becky and Kayla recorded them," Arthur added. "You were terrific. You fought like you were insane!"  
"One more fight and I would have been," Ryan chuckled weakly, taking a chunk of ice from Red and placing it against his bare skin. He hissed at the cold and then closed his eyes, bearing it with the knowledge that it would help him. "Now we've got to wait and see what damage I did."

He came in fourth place, after all was said and done, winning for himself a measly few hundred dollars, but, as Red and Arthur assured him, it was a start. This hadn't been just a bunch of teenage fights. These had been fights against professionals, people trained just as Ryan was, and Ryan had done very well for the first time. He was able to meet the managers of the Harper's Sports Supply, and they greeted him with many back slaps, which made his wounds sing, but he tolerated it, smiling through clenched teeth at the pain.  
Kayla, Nick, and Becky were quite excited when the men arrived at Kayla's apartment, and the women had even bought ice cream, but Ryan found he couldn't eat. His stomach and chest were fairly well beaten, and he was afraid he'd end up hurling whatever happened to make its way to his stomach. He did sit on the couch, however, resting against Kayla, and watched the night's fights.  
"You did really well," Kayla smiled at him as he walked out the door that night, well past midnight.  
"Thanks," he grinned uncertainly. "I feel rather humiliated. My pride's been lowered a bit."  
"And that's such a terrible thing?" she tsked, and then put a gentle hand to his face. "I'm proud of you, Ry. I think you can do this."  
"The next fight's in Panama City, a week from today," Ryan yawned. "The money's already being provided for me. Red and Arthur are going to go keep me company at the hotel. It's going to be an all-day event, so my sponsors want me to be able to rest up afterward."  
"That makes sense to me," Kayla smiled. "You need to get to bed 'Terror.' You don't look so terrible. You look like you need sleep."  
"I could always stay here," he chuckled, closing his eyes against her simple touch.  
"I don't think so," Kayla laughed. "Go, Ry, and get some sleep."  
"Wish you could come with us," Ryan yawned again. "But I know you'll be watching. Good night, Kay. Sleep well."  
"Good night, Ry, and thanks for everything," she smiled, watching him leave before she closed the apartment door.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

The Panama City Beach hotel that Mr. Carson of Harper's Sports Supply had chosen for Ryan and his companions was certainly not the cheapest one on the beach. The fights were going to be taking place in this hotel, in its auditorium, and so Mr. Carson had wanted Ryan to be right there, making it easier to travel to and from fights and get all the rest he needed. Eric, it was quickly learned, wouldn't be here, for he was prepping up for next week's fight in Tampa. Ryan had originally thought it strange that Eric would be fighting at all, but he had come to find that Eric was a very competitive sort, and much better at fighting than he had imagined, for when Eric was sober, he was faster and stronger than most other fighters in his age range. That was a bit of a troublesome thought, but Eric wasn't here now, and that gave Ryan more relief than he realized.

Red had brought more than a weekend's helping of microwave popcorn, and upon arriving in their hotel room, he promptly popped in a couple of bags in the microwave and then flipped through Ryan's DVDs, searching for something entertaining to watch for the evening, to get Ryan's mind off the upcoming fight.

They held a popcorn tossing contest, which lasted for fifteen minutes, and then collapsed in the living room and watched Red's movie of choice, a ridiculous action flick, to which all of the men laughed and imitated the characters in all the most terrible ways.

They set up for bed once the movie was over, Ryan getting the only bed in the room while Red claimed the couch and Arthur stretched out on some sleeping bags on the floor. All the lights were turned out, once everyone was ready for bed and curled up under the blankets, and just the faintest of city lights could be seen through the drawn curtains.

The three men all breathed deeply at the same time, and then there was a distinct humming noise coming from somewhere along the floor. A small light flashed on, and Red spoke into the darkness, amusement in his voice.

"Woo hoo! Look who's texting his woman late at night! Go Art!"

"Seems he and Becky are rather twitterpated," Ryan chuckled, and Red sat up from the couch.

"Twitterpated? Seriously, did you just say twitterpated?"

"How's the girl, Art?" Ryan grinned, leaning up on his elbow. "Will she survive a night without you? Those girls, they can never stop texting. Always have to make sure their men are okay. Like they're on a leash..."

Music interrupted his speaking, and he spun abruptly and grabbed his phone, opening it and texting away.

"Whoa dude. Look who's the hypocrite," Red snorted, laying back down again.

"Becky's staying over at Kayla's for the night," Art said, a noticeable smile in his voice.

"Yeah. Kayla just told me," Ryan nodded, closing his own phone. "Man, she's fine."

"Don't know if I can handle listening to you talk about my little sister like that," Red snorted.

"Oh come on, Red. I thought you were over it," Art chuckled.

"Over what?" Ryan asked.

"Red used to have a little crush on Kay," Art started, laughing. "He used to follow her everywhere. They've known each other since elementary school."

"Really? I'm surprised you and she didn't end up together," Ryan said easily.

"Nah. I was never her type," Red sighed. "She wanted a fighter, and she got one. I could never see myself as Nick's dad, either. He needs someone better."

The room was quiet for a moment, and then Ryan spoke, his voice low.

"What was Stephen like?"

"A better guy than anyone wants to admit," Red answered. "Nick looks almost just like him, but cuter."

"He was a good friend," Art added. "He helped get me and Becky together."

"How did you both meet?" Ryan asked.

"I started going to 'Ronny's' and there she was. Stephen was the one that suggested I talk to her. That was right before Nick was born. And then Stephen left," Art shrugged. "He didn't like everyone talking bad about Kayla, so he went away. He never regretted what he and Kayla did. He even came to see Nick right after the baby was born. Held him once."

"A good guy," Red reiterated. "I bet he would have married her, had they both been older."

"But I needed her," Ryan nodded. "Just like Becky and Art needed each other."

"That's some pretty deep thinking, McCarthy. Too deep, since you have a fight coming up tomorrow," Art chuckled. "Good night."

"Oh, very well. Good night," Red sighed, rolling over in his blankets and falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

The fights of the following day were significantly more crowded than the one in Miami had been. Ryan was questioned nonstop, cameras flashing in all directions and merchants trying their best to get him to show off their supplies. The fights themselves were brutal. There were more competitors, coming from all over the state, and all of them were interested enough in the winnings, as was apparent by their mere attendance, to land several rough blows on Ryan, enough to nearly get him kicked out of the competitions before they had even begun. He managed to hold his place, however, barely making it into fourth place again.

"Ryan, you seem to be lacking drive," Mr. Carson told him at dinner. "What are you fighting for? Why do you want this money? What's fueling you that will get you to move faster and fight harder?"

"I'm not used to fights being this brutal!" Ryan snapped. "I'm always at the top! In these fights, I'm barely making it into the winnings! Do you think I like that?"

"I need you to start getting higher scores, McCarthy! If you don't get at least third in the next fight, I'm having to withdraw your funding!" Mr. Carson exclaimed, exasperated.

Ryan growled and then got up from the table.

"I'll meet you back in Miami tomorrow," he sighed, leaving the restaurant and heading back to the hotel room, tired, beaten, and feeling like a failure.

Red and Arthur trotted after him.

"Hey! Hey wait!" Red called as Ryan unlocked their door. "It's alright, McCarthy. You'll do better in the next one."

"Sure," Ryan scowled.

"Why don't we go to the beach tomorrow, before we go home?" Art suggested. "We are at a nice beach."

"Ooh, yeah! And gorgeous bikini-clad girls! Oh yes, sorry. You guys are taken. You can look but you can't touch. I, on the other hand," Red smirked. "What do you say, McCarthy?"

"Oh, I suppose," Ryan said, trying to be grumpy, but Red's enthusiasm ruined his attempts.

"Good! I'm inviting some girls I know!" Red said triumphantly, skipping into the room.

"Oh dear," Art said as he and Ryan exchanged worried looks.

* * *

The next morning, after a hurried breakfast, the three men made their way to the ocean. Two of them were pleasantly surprised to find a couple of women on the beach that they knew. Kayla and Becky both waved to the guys, and Red was amused to see the different reactions of the two men. Art walked respectfully up to Becky before wrapping his arms around her and giving her a tender kiss while Ryan ran to Kayla, picked her up and spun her, and was then promptly tackled by Nick.

"We were told that you needed some encouragement," Kayla smiled, her eyes sparkling up at Ryan. "So we came for a visit."

"No thanks to Red, of course," Red sighed, waving his arm dramatically as he walked past the embracing couples.

"Thank you, Uncle Red," Nick grinned, wrapping his arms around the tall man's legs.

"You're welcome," Red chuckled, bending down to give his adopted nephew a hug. "What say you and I go hunt around for seashells, huh?" he asked, picking the boy up and putting him on his shoulders. "Ooh, you're really too big for this," he groaned, carrying Nick off down the shore.

"Go on, you two," Ryan waved at Arthur and Becky. "We know you want to be off by yourselves. We'll catch up with you in a bit."

"Thanks," Arthur smiled, wrapping an arm around Becky's blue bikini-clad body and walking with her a ways down the shore.

It wasn't very often that they were able to spend time together like this. Becky's father was about as racist as a man could get, being one of those who still cursed the north for winning the Civil War and just couldn't get over his daughter loving a black man. Ever since Becky and Arthur had met, however, there had been a mutual attraction, and they had spent as much time together as they possibly could. It was nice to be able to just walk down the beach without having to worry about her father coming out shouting at her. They didn't have to be shy now.

Arthur took one of Becky's hands in his and kissed it gently, a content smile on his face. It reminded her of the day he had told her he had cancer. He had been just as peaceful and satisfied then as he was now, even though he must have been scared to death. Despite his strong body and his positive attitude, his time was quite limited, growing shorter with every day, and that frightened Becky. But he refused to let her be scared. Even now, he gave her hand a squeeze and smiled lovingly at her.

"No unhappy thoughts. We have an afternoon where we don't have to worry about being chased away from each other. I just wish I could get your daddy to like me. He seems set against me."

"Not you," Becky sighed, shaking her head. "Your color."

"Oh well. One day he'll see that we're all the same," Arthur shrugged, pulling her down to sit in the sand next to him. "I wanted to talk to you about some of the fights coming up."

"Yes?" Becky asked.

"Next weekend, Ryan has two fights on Saturday, both of them in Orlando. I thought we might be able to send him, Kayla, and Nick off together. He and Kayla are becoming quite the couple," Arthur grinned, "and I think Ryan's getting to the point, no matter what he says, where he wants Kay to meet his dad. You and I can look over the gym for them. That would give us a whole day, at least, to be together."

"I like your thinking," Becky smiled, snuggling up closer to him. "We can do that."

"Good. Now let's talk about you. How is my Beck doing?" Art asked, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Very content. Absolutely happy to be here with you," Becky smiled against his arm. "The weather is perfect and we're together. That's all I need to make me happy."  
"I am glad," Art smiled. "That makes me quite content. Though I must admit, having you so close makes me wish for just a little more."

"Oh?" she laughed, looking up into his face, her eyes shining.

He smiled, understanding her permission, and then put a hand to her cheek before he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

It had been so long, it seemed, since he had kissed her. He remembered well the first time that he had. He had been walking along the beach in Miami with her, right before she had to go home for the night, and he had had to lean down quite a ways to reach her face, for he was so much taller than she. But when their lips had met for that first time, it had been the sweetest thing, and he had wanted more, but had restrained himself.

Her arms wrapped around him as he kissed her deeply as she mirrored the action. She wished so much that her father would understand, that he would treat Arthur like his own son, for Becky knew that Arthur was the one she wanted to marry. She wanted to be with him for the rest of her life, and it hurt her that her father didn't seem to care, no matter what she said. He was black and she was white, and that was final.

Art's strong, gentle hands stroked across her back, comforting her before he pulled his mouth away and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"One day, Becky," he said gently. "One day we'll be together and your father will understand."

"I wish that day would hurry up and come," she sighed, resting her head against his chest.

"Me too, Baby. Me too."

* * *

They returned to the others just as the sun was going down, and found Ryan, Red, Nick, and Kayla splashing around in the water, laughing and having a great time. Red, as was usual, was fairly well burnt, because he never wore sunscreen and he was quite pale normally.

The group of friends went to a seafood restaurant shortly after, when they were all dry and changed into different clothes, and the men had a shrimp-eating contest, much to the delight of the women. The waitresses didn't mind hovering around the table either, drawn in by the handsome men and the cute little boy in their midst. They even managed to give Nick a free dessert, which Ryan and Kayla both leeched off of, the amusement of Becky and Art. Ryan, Kayla, and Nick already looked and acted like a family. Ryan even had the nerve (in Red's humble opinion, it was the nerve) to give Kayla a forkful of his meal, feeding it to her and laughing when she wrinkled her nose at the spiciness of it. Of course, Red really did get the short end of the stick, for he had the choice to either ride home with Becky and Arthur or Kayla and Ryan. He chose to go with Arthur, but was somewhat ignored for the trip home. Not that he minded too terribly, for he had brought his Nintendo DS along with him and could have cared less what they were talking about.

Arthur and Becky spoke to Ryan and Kayla about their plans for the upcoming weekend, and it was agreed that Kayla and Nick would be going to Orlando with Ryan the next Saturday. Ryan called his dad that night, nervous as all get-out, informing him that he wanted to bring his girlfriend and her son home for the weekend. He received several comments about how Mr. McCarthy assumed Nick was actually Ryan's kid, but Ryan did his best to convince his father otherwise and was fairly certain that his dad believed him by the time the phone call was over. He was also informed via text, before he fell asleep, that Eric was going to be in the Orlando fights.  
This was going to be one interesting upcoming weekend.


End file.
